Strictly Come Dancing star Shirley Ballas' love life from divorces to cheating scandal

Shirley Ballas brands Pete Wicks 'Mr Strictly Come Dancing'

Strictly Come Dancing's head judge Shirley Ballas has opened up about her complex love life, including a startling revelation from a woman who claimed to have been with her then-husband.

At 63, Shirley recently disclosed the end of her relationship with Danny Taylor. She's been married twice and carries the emotional weight of challenging past relationships.

Shirley has never shied away from discussing the rollercoaster of romance, candidly sharing her struggles with self-worth and distressing encounters in love.

In an unexpected turn, Shirley delighted fans by reuniting with her former flame Corky Ballas. She celebrated their collaboration on Instagram with a joyful selfie, teasing future endeavours with the caption: "Meeting up with Corky Ballas, father to our wonderful son and Grandad to Banksi. Back working together, simply awesome."

Let's explore the Strictly sensation's colourful romantic history, reports Wales Online.

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Shirley admitted she still loved Sammy (Image: Shirley Ballas/Instagram)

Her first marriage was to dance partner Sammy Stopford at the tender age of 18. The couple said 'I do' in 1980 and swiftly rose to fame in the dance circuit, clinching the Professional Latin title at Blackpool in 1983.

Despite their undeniable chemistry on the dance floor, they parted ways after four years, yet they reportedly remain amicable.

In a nostalgic reflection, Shirley Ballas shared a touching sentiment about reuniting with her ex-husband for a meal in 2017. She revealed: "Lunch with my first husband, Sammy Stopford. Still love him to bits."

Turning the page to her second marriage, Shirley met Corky Ballas at a dance competition in Canada and sparks flew. They married in 1985, later welcoming their son Mark, now aged 38.

However, in 2007, the couple's union faded into history, with Shirley disclosing Corky's infidelity in her explosive 2020 memoir Behind The Sequins.

Shirley and Corky appear to be friends again (Image: Mike Marsland/Getty Images for H)

She lamented the betrayal within its pages: "He had multiple girlfriends even when I moved to America for him. I gave up my life for that man."

Shirley also accused Corky of cruel jibes about her weight during her pregnancy, going as far as rigging a doughnut with a cockroach to deter her from eating it.

Recalling the disturbing incident, she wrote: "My husband at the time thought I was too heavy for being three months pregnant so he put a roach underneath my doughnut. When I ate it, the cockroach crackled in my mouth with the legs dangling outside. This made me vomit straight away."

The Strictly Come Dancing judge further detailed the emotional toll of Corky's frequent body-shaming comments in 'Behind The Sequins', quoting his harsh words: "Get too big and I'm out the door. I don't do fat, Shirley."

Shirley continued to unveil the hurtful criticism she endured, stating: "He'd say, 'You're too fat. What's that mole on your chin? Your nose is crooked, you need a nose job. Your breasts are too small'."

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World champion dancers Corky and Shirley (Image: Daily Record)

Shirley Ballas has previously admitted to hitting a woman who brazenly confessed to having an affair with her then-husband, Corky. In her memoir, the professional dancer recalled: "The woman in question sidled up to me, clearly the worse for a drink or two, and said: 'You and I need to talk',".

Despite trying to avoid the confrontation, Shirley found herself cornered. She recounted the shocking moment: "Then, as if in slow motion, I turned to face her just as she blurted out, 'You need to get used to the fact that I f****d your husband'."

In the heat of the moment, Shirley confessed:"There was a little white angel on one of my shoulders, and a little red angel on the other one. The white angel told me, 'Keep walking,' while the red angel said, 'Sock her in the gob.' So that's what I did. I punched her and she rolled away. I'm not proud. All I could hear around me were people whispering, 'Is that Shirley Ballas?'."

Infidelity wasn't a one-sided issue in their marriage, as Corky alleged that his wife had been unfaithful with "at least ten different men" during their long union - claims that Shirley has never responded to.

Shirley punched a woman (Image: Getty Images for The National Lottery)

The Strictly judge's relationship with West End star Danny Taylor quickly became a hot topic when they publicly declared their love in 2019 after meeting during pantomime season. Their 13-year age difference was a focal point of the chatter.

Head over heels, that's how Shirley felt about her partner, once even exclaiming: "I would marry him tomorrow, if he asked me. If this is what love is, I have never experienced it before."

The couple's engagement came to light in 2021, yet their dreams of marriage never materialised as they ended their engagement, and just last month it was confirmed the pair had parted ways.

In a candid chat on Jamie Lang's podcast, Shirley opened up about her romantic struggles: "Currently, I've just split with my boyfriend. My relationships have been a disaster all the way along the line."

Danny and Shirley were loves young dream (Image: Shirley Ballas Instagram)

Nevertheless, she found solace in family bonds, expressing gratitude for the unwavering support from her mother: "But what I am truly grateful for is that I still have my mother and that she lives with me, and I get these precious moments with her. Because my mother is the only thing that's been a staple in my life. No friend, no marriage, no nothing."

Adding another layer to her colourful love life, Shirley divulged during her time on Mel Giedroyc's Unforgivable show that she had once engaged in a romantic encounter with "somebody else's girlfriend" at a party, despite both being involved with others at the time. This bombshell confession unveiled a tumultuous chapter in her personal history.

She revealed: "I was part of something, and that was a 40th birthday party where this wonderful young lady had too much to drink and so had I. We had this great big snog. She was engaged, and I had a boyfriend, so you could say it was a really strong and loveable embrace with somebody else's girlfriend."

Strictly Come Dancing is on BBC One and BBC iPlayer

Strictly Come Dancing star Shirley Ballas' love life from divorces to cheating scandal

Strictly Come Dancing star Shirley Ballas' love life from divorces to cheating scandal

Strictly Come Dancing star Shirley Ballas' love life from divorces to cheating scandal

Strictly Come Dancing star Shirley Ballas' love life from divorces to cheating scandal

Strictly Come Dancing star Shirley Ballas' love life from divorces to cheating scandal