Strictly Come Dancing’s Shirley Ballas leaves fans stunned with emotional tribute to her mum as she reveals life story
STRICTLY Come Dancing’s Shirley Ballas left fans in tears with her emotional tribute to her mum as she revealed her rags-to-riches story.
Her fans flocked to Twitter to comment on the head judge’s epic life journey which she told on Strictly spin-off show It Takes Two.
Shirley stunned fans as she told how she grew up in a council estate just outside of Liverpool with her mum and brother.
She said their life was so tough they had no fridge and her mother had to juggle several jobs to make ends meet.
She stumbled across a dance class one day as a child, and the rest was history.
She said: “I travelled from Liverpool to Lands End dancing,” before meeting her first husband Sammy Stopford on the circuit and becoming world champions.
She later moved to America where she met her second husband Corky Ballas who was a chef, and incredibly, she trained him to dance.
Years later, they came back to England with their son Mark, who is now a pro dancer on Dancing with the Stars in the USA, and worked their way to the top becoming world champions.
Paying a touching tribute to her mother, who she lives with today, she said: “My mother’s work ethic inspired me. I wouldn’t be here today without her. I want to say thank you. Thank you for that work ethic.”
One said: “What a great life story.”
“@ShirleyBallas tapestry of life was set for you to dance & teach. How amazing. Strictly were inspired getting you in the family.”
“Another said: “I would actually watch a TV movie about Shirley’s life.”
“A third chimed in: “Respect to Shirley Ballas. What a life story!”
