Vile comments about her appearance, personal attacks on her character and even death threats; over the course of her tenure as head judge on Strictly Come Dancing, Shirley Ballas has seen it all.
The 65-year-old has stood firm as trolls have called for her to be axed from the show time and time again throughout her eight-year stint over her judging decisions – at one point even launching a petition for her removal – but she has held her head high and refused to placate them.
This year, in a bid to lessen the online abuse, BBC producers decided to switch up the format, with a small but significant change that means the blame will not always land with Shirley when a celebrity is sent home.
The deciding vote, which has previously always been cast by head judge Shirley, now alternates between her and her fellow judges Motsi Mabuse, Anton du Beke and Craig Revel Horwood.
This, producers felt, was an easy way to share the responsibility for the celebrity exits among the four, a subtle side-step out of the firing line for the head judge and a way to keep the trolls at bay.
But, it seems that the format shift has not been enough to change some viewers’ minds about the former ‘Queen of Latin’, who joined the show following the late Len Goodman’s departure in 2017.
Just four weeks into the new series of the BBC dance competition and Shirley is still bearing the brunt of viewers’ criticism – with her fellow judges largely escaping their ire.
Strictly judge Shirley Ballas has stood firm as trolls have called for her to be axed from the show time and time again throughout her eight-year stint over her judging decisions
The jibes from diehard viewers are familiar: They believe she is ‘overly-critical’ and has ‘favourites’ to whom she delivers ‘biased’ scores.
This online frenzy all reached a head last weekend, when former rugby player, Chris Robshaw, 39, found himself in the dance-off with EastEnders actress Balvinder Sopal.
Chris went home, after Craig decided to save Balvinder, 46, with his deciding vote.
Yet while fellow judge Anton also decided to save the rugby player, it was Shirley who faced a tirade from viewers after she voted for Chris, but described both dancers as being at ‘the same level’ of ability.
‘The fact that if Shirley was still offering the casting vote Balvinder would’ve gone home really scares me,’ one viewer wrote on X.
‘I really dislike the way Shirley speaks to Balvinder,’ said another.
One irate fan wrote: ‘I’m genuinely so irritated by what Shirley said, because 1: What the f*** do you mean Bal and Chris are the same level and 2: He barely danced and those lifts were literally a distraction to make you think the dance was good when in fact it wasn’t.’
Another vitriolic viewer added to the pile: ‘Shirley excusing another man’s mistakes.’
The deciding vote, which has previously always been cast by head judge Shirley, now alternates between her and her fellow judges, from left, Craig Revel Horwood, Motsi Mabuse and Anton du Beke
The head judge has, in past years, come under fire for what some perceived as a bias towards male celebrities.
In 2023, the abuse went so far that Shirley admitted she had become scared to leave the house.
‘I’ve had people draw coffins with me in it with somebody with a spade that said, ‘Die you b****,’ she told Love Island star Olivia Attwood on her ITV documentary about trolling.
‘I never relax. It has changed my life completely I would say.’
But the former professional dancer has stood firm in defence of her critics and last year said: ‘I judge without fear or favour.
‘I’m just someone who sits in that chair as head judge to stay in my lane and judge the dancing – legs, feet, body coordination, synchronisation and chemistry between the leader and the follower.’
She has described the dance competition as ‘the light of my life’ and insisted she would stay in the role ‘as long as the BBC would like to have me’.
When Chris Robshaw (right) found himself in the dance-off with Balvinder Sopal (left), Anton saved the former rugby player, but it was Shirley who faced a tirade from viewers after she voted for him, too
Television sources say the judge is unlikely to throw in the towel at this stage, having turned the other cheek for so long.
‘Shirley certainly won’t be leaving Strictly over the opinions of online trolls,’ an insider told the Daily Mail. ‘She knows what she’s talking about and always stands by every decision she makes.’
But her defiance has done nothing to deter the trolls who have been pushing, again, this week for her to be axed from the show.
‘I think we should petition for Craig Revel Horwood to be made head judge of Strictly from 2026,’ a viewer posted.
‘Shirley outstayed her welcome a long time ago when she became biased and overly-critical towards the contestants,’ wrote another.
A further bone of contention for some viewers this week occurred after Shirley, having heaped praise on Alex Kingston, 62, for her impressive rumba, then came out from behind the desk to join her on the dancefloor.
After giving the actress a standing ovation, she walked over to stand next to her and even gave her a kiss, leading some to criticise Ballas for ‘stealing her thunder’.
Shirley performing in the Strictly ballroom, after releasing her first novel in 2023 – Murder On The Dance Floor
After Shirley heaped praise on Alex Kingston (pictured) for her impressive rumba, she then came out from behind the desk to join the actress on the dancefloor, leading some viewers to criticise Ballas for ‘stealing her thunder’
‘Why did Shirley do that with Alex,’ one viewer asked. ‘It feels like she made that all about her by coming out from the desk.’
Others, however, defended the former dancer and called out the venomous and personal criticism directed at her online.
‘The Shirley hate on here is so forced,’ one viewer wrote. ‘She’s a great judge.’
The BBC show, which is in its 21st year, is so beloved by viewers that every change made or word uttered by the judges is dissected and analysed.
Earlier in the series, judge Motsi, 44, came under for fire for comments she made following a performance by Karen Carney.
She told the England Lioness, 36, who has a spinal condition that means her back is curved, to ‘challenge’ it in order to have better posture.
‘It’s going to be something that we have to challenge to see how far we can really stretch and open up because it’s a ballroom dance and there’s a specific posture that we need,’ she said.
A viewer wrote: ‘Quite disgusted that Karen opened up about having a condition that causes a curved spine and Motsi’s reaction was to say they should ‘challenge’ it instead of accommodating it.’
With every word they say under constant scrutiny, it seems the Strictly judges are having to develop thicker skin than the contestants.
