How Shirley Ballas went from being a working-class girl from Wallasey to the new Queen of Strictly Come Dancing
SHE is the working-class Merseyside girl who grew up to rule over the US ballroom scene — and yesterday she finally became famous here at home.
Shirley Ballas, who BBC1 bosses announced as Len Goodman’s replacement on Strictly Come Dancing, is not just a dance champion but a dance powerbroker.
As a long-time trainer and recruiter of the professionals on the US version of the show, Dancing With The Stars, she could make or break careers.
And the 56-year-old may have unwittingly already done the same here — despite having barely yet set foot in the show’s Elstree Studios.
Veteran pro dancer Anton du Beke was just one of the fan favourites who had hoped to get a spot on the panel and was yesterday said to be “furious” at the decision to give it to Shirley.
There may also be noses out of joint because by taking Len’s head judge role she is already more senior than seasoned panellists Craig Revel Horwood, Bruno Tonioli and Darcey Bussell.
Craig and Darcey had both secretly harboured hopes of landing the top-judge title given their experience and years of service.
A source revealed yesterday: “A lot of people are very angry at the decision.”
Yet there is no doubting the credentials of the woman known as the “Queen of Latin” in the US.
Across the pond she has long dominated the dance world as a competitor, trainer and international competition adjudicator.
And it all began at a church hall in her home town of Wallasey — with a Billy Elliot-style accidental discovery of dance.
Shirley Rich was seven years old and had just emerged from her weekly Brownies meeting when she happened to look at what was going on in the room next door.
It was a ballroom class and Shirley was transfixed.
The very next Saturday she enrolled in a kids’ class — thanks to single mum Audrey, who scrimped and saved to pay for the lessons.
Shirley later recalled: “I have the best mother in the whole wide world. Without her I couldn’t have done it.”
At just 15, the rising star was picked as the new partner of British Junior Ballroom Champion Nigel Tiffany and she left home for Yorkshire to train with him.
But her professional life quickly became personal, and not for the last time.
She and Nigel became engaged when she was 16. The couple then moved to London and turned professional.
They had been together two years when Shirley was asked to audition to be the partner of top-ranking Latin ace Sammy Stopford. She and Nigel split up — and she not only got the job as Sammy’s partner but married him in 1980, when she was 18 and he was 24.
The couple were soon ranked No1 in the world for Latin dancing. Three years later, Shirley was asked to give lessons to the son of a ballroom-obsessed Texan millionaire.
She and Mark Ballas, known as Corky, a year her senior, quickly fell in love. Shirley left Sammy and moved to Houston, where she and Corky wed in 1984.
She later recalled: “When I met Corky he was a cook, a chef. He never started dancing seriously until he was 21, which shows you can make it from any age.”
She taught him well — the first example of her now-legendary skills as a trainer. Within a year the couple had turned pro and won their first title.
They remained undefeated for the next eight years, making them the most successful Latin US champions in history.
Their only child, Mark, was born in 1986 and inherited the ballroom gene. He has been a pro on Dancing With The Stars since 2007.
Four years later the family moved to London and their careers soon became even more stellar.
In 1995 Shirley and Corky won the British Open Latin title in Blackpool — the second time for Shirley, who had won the same crown aged 23 with Sammy.
She was the only person ever to have won the title with two different partners.
They won again the following year then Shirley retired to focus on judging and coaching as well as her behind-the-scenes role on Dancing With The Stars.
Shirley’s wealth of experience stands her in good stead for the job as head judge on Strictly.
She is also already well versed in another part of the show’s legacy — its infamous love curse.
In 2002 husband Corky, 41, left her for none other than a then- unknown Russian dancer named Kristina Rihanoff, then 24.
They had a five-year affair which fizzled out in 2008, the year after Kristina joined Strictly and just months after Shirley and Corky’s divorce had been finalised.
Shirley’s appointment now means Kristina, 39, is highly unlikely to return to the show which she left in 2015.
A furious row erupted between the pair during Strictly’s 2015 Christmas party, where Kristina is said to have made rude remarks within Shirley’s earshot.
Bosses were impressed by Shirley’s dignified handling of the situation, which ended with Kristina storming off.
Yet despite insiders claiming they have since made up and been out together, producers do not want to risk another unnecessary spat.
A source said: “Now Shirley has the top job on Strictly it probably stops any return from Kristina.
“They say they’re fine now but what producer would ever risk putting them in a situation together on the same show?”
The Sun was first to report last month that Shirley was the hot favourite to replace Len, 73, after acing her screen tests.
As well as competition from Anton, 50, and fellow pro Brendan Cole, 41, she also beat international names in the running for a seat on the panel. They included Ireland’s Dancing With The Stars judges Loraine Barry and Brian Redmond, as well as veteran judge on the Australian version, Helen Richey, 71.
One insider revealed yesterday: “A lot of people are deeply unhappy — including Anton, because he was hotly tipped for so long and the audience love him.
“They don’t have anything against Shirley and respect her, but they think the Beeb have been too politically correct to tick all their diversity boxes.
“Anton’s wife has just had twins, so the role would have suited him perfectly without having to put the hours in while training a new celeb next series.”
Chiefs have wanted another woman on the four-judge panel ever since Len announced his retirement last summer.
It is a big part of the BBC’s four-year “diversity and inclusion strategy” — their drive to hire more women both in front of and behind the camera.
But in Shirley they have found the ideal alternative to Len.
Following her announcement yesterday, she said: “I’m so excited and over the moon to have been given this wonderful opportunity.
“I can’t wait to get into the ballroom and be part of the incredible and respected judging panel.
Strictly is so loved by the British public, I have always been a massive fan. I just can’t wait.”
Strictly’s executive producer Louise Rainbow tried to soften the blow to those who missed out. She declared: “The calibre of applicants was exceptional but with her wealth of experience as a world champion dancer, teacher and judge, Shirley is the perfect fit for Strictly.”
All she needs now to fill Len’s shoes is her own catchphrase.