Shirley Ballas' Struggles with Online Abuse on Strictly Come Dancing

2023-09-17 16:05:03

Sinéad O'Connor: Irish Singer of 'Nothing Compares 2 U' Passes Away at 56 - Updated

Strictly: Shirley Ballas almost quit show in 2022 due to 'cruel' trolls

Dance champion Shirley Ballas has revealed that she considered quitting Strictly Come Dancing in 2022 because of the relentless online abuse she received from trolls.

Watch it now! - The Rise of the TikTok Jester Queen: A Hilarious Impersonation of the British Royal Household

Ballas took over as head judge on the BBC's celebrity dance competition in 2017, replacing long-serving judge Len Goodman. While she faced occasional criticism for her tough critiques of the contestants, the abuse reached an "all-time low" in 2022. Viewers accused her of being "sexist" and favoring male contestants over females.

Get Your Daily Dose of Laughs with @larrydeancomedy's Hilarious Original Sound Bites!

Tears and personal attacks

In an interview with The Times, Ballas, 63, expressed how the trolling had escalated to the point where she was left in tears after every show. She received "the most negativity" she had ever faced, with messages attacking her appearance and personal qualities.

Painkiller: A Hard-Hitting Drama Unveiling the Opioid Epidemic

According to Ballas: "Some of the messages were so cruel. Just, how ugly you are and how fat you are, and how you've got horrible arms, and, 'You don't like men. You don't like women. You don't like Black men. You don't like Black women.'"

Laughing It Up in San Fran: Larry Dean's Hilarious Stand-up Comedy Game Show!

Controversial dance-off decision

Ballas faced particularly intense criticism for a controversial dance-off decision, where she voted to save radio presenter Richie Anderson over singer Fleur East, who was considered a strong contender. While the other judges favored East, viewers questioned the fairness of the judging panel towards black female contestants.

New social media help for the upcoming series

For the upcoming series, Ballas revealed that she has hired someone to help manage her social media. She explained, "I'll be going in with a much lighter heart, not taking things so personally." The person responsible for this task is Harry Surplus, a 21-year-old mathematician from Manchester University.

Strictly Come Dancing returns on Saturday, September 16th at 6:35 PM on BBC One.

If you would like to know other articles similar to Shirley Ballas' Struggles with Online Abuse on Strictly Come Dancing updated this year 2024 you can visit the category Entertainment news.