Shirley Ballas shares the instance when she realized their relationship could no longer continue, following Danny Taylor’s disappearance on her birthday.
In November, the primary judge on Strictly Come Dancing, who is 64 years old, shared that she and her partner of six years, Danny, had decided to go their separate ways.
Her recent disclosure shows that his absence served as a reminder, stirring up memories of her brother David who took his life in 2003, ultimately signifying the conclusion of their relationship.
On Shirley’s 64th birthday, she was spending time with her mother, Audrey (aged 87), when she received a distressing phone call, informing her that her partner, Danny, was nowhere to be found.
She told The Mirror: ‘All those memories came flooding back…it triggered all these emotions.’
She spent the next few hours trying to track Danny down, calling around all his friends and family.
By 2 a.m., in the wee hours of the next day, she found out he had read her anxious texts about his location.
However, Shirley found herself furious the following day when Danny acted as if their previous incident never occurred and continued as normal.
In this pivotal instant, I acknowledged that I couldn’t continue harboring someone who had become a source of such unbearable pain in my life.
That day is etched deeply into my memory for as long as I live. In the heart of the night, I recall gazing over and seeing my mother, visibly distraught, seemingly reliving her past traumas,” she expressed.
‘I just thought “this can’t go on”. Not just for my sake, but my mum too.’
Her interview comes after she confessed her love life is a ‘disaster’, after splitting from Danny.
The popular “Strictly” celebrity, who has been married twice and engaged four times, has expressed that her two most cherished loved ones are her son, Mark (aged 38), and her mother, Audrey.
In a conversation on the Great Company podcast with Jamie Laing earlier this year, Shirley opened up about her breakup with her former fiancé. They had gotten engaged at the end of 2021 after working together in pantomime towards the end of 2018.
Currently, I find myself single after parting ways with my partner. To be honest, my romantic journeys haven’t exactly run smoothly – it seems as if a string of challenges has followed me in this area throughout.
‘What turns me off is a liar, somebody who says they’ll be there and isn’t.
What I’m deeply appreciative of is the fact that my mom is still with me, sharing these priceless moments together, and I get to live under the same roof with her.
My mother has been the constant presence in my life, unlike any friends, relationships, or other experiences.
At the close of each day, what I consistently express is a sense of gratitude for having my son in my life. The path I traveled was essential for me to be his father, and without it, I wouldn’t have the joy of being a grandfather to my grandson.
‘So, it’s fate, if you want to, it’s directions that you choose.’
Shirley was first engaged at the age of 16 to her then-ballroom partner Nigel Tiffany.
At the age of 18, she tied the knot with her dance partner Sammy Stopford, yet their marriage endured for just four years before she fled to America with a Texas-based dancer named Corky Ballas.
They tied the knot in 1985 and welcomed son Mark the following year. The pair split in 2007.
Read More
- Clash Royale Best Boss Bandit Champion decks
- RAVEN2 redeem codes and how to use them (October 2025)
- Kingdom Rush Battles Tower Tier List
- Clash Royale Furnace Evolution best decks guide
- Delta Force Best Settings and Sensitivity Guide
- Cookie Run: Kingdom Boss Rush Season 2-2 Guide and Tips
- Ben Stiller Nearly Played a Doctor in Severance Season 1
- Ninja Arashi 2 Shadow’s Return expands the hit ARPG sequel with more content, ahead of Ninja Arashi 3’s launch later this year
- Kingdom Rush Battles Hero Tier List
- Star Trek: Strange New Worlds Promises More ‘Adventure’ in the Final 2 Seasons
2025-08-30 02:33