Strictly’s Shirley Ballas on making heartbreaking discoveries in her family history…
Shirley Ballas has become a household name since taking over from Len Goodman as Head Judge on Strictly Come Dancing last year.
Glamorous and softly spoken Shirley, 57, winner of numerous world dance championship titles, says that being part of the BBC1 Saturday night extravaganza is a dream come true. But her life and rise to fame has been far from easy.
Growing up on a council estate in Merseyside, Shirley was raised by her mum Audrey after her dad walked out when she was just two years old. Her own two marriages ended in divorce and she was devastated when her only sibling, David, who suffered from mental health issues, tragically took his own life 14 years ago.
With many parts of her family history a mystery, Shirley, whose son Mark, 32, is also a dancer, jumped at the chance to find out more for this week’s episode of Who Do You Think You Are?
‘I had heard on my dad’s side that we might have black ancestry, so I was particularly keen to find out more about that’, says Shirley, as she chats to TV Times.
Tracing her family tree back to the mid-19th century, she is emotional to discover that one of her distant relations had once been working as a slave. Here Shirley tells us more…
How much did you already know about your ancestors?
هذه القصة مأخوذة من طبعة July 28, 2018 من TV Times.
ابدأ النسخة التجريبية المجانية من Magzter GOLD لمدة 7 أيام للوصول إلى آلاف القصص المتميزة المنسقة وأكثر من 9,000 مجلة وصحيفة.
بالفعل مشترك ? تسجيل الدخول
هذه القصة مأخوذة من طبعة July 28, 2018 من TV Times.
ابدأ النسخة التجريبية المجانية من Magzter GOLD لمدة 7 أيام للوصول إلى آلاف القصص المتميزة المنسقة وأكثر من 9,000 مجلة وصحيفة.
بالفعل مشترك? تسجيل الدخول
What's Billy's SECRET?
It’s an annus horribilis for Dawn and Billy – not only are they stressed over baby son Evan’s leukaemia treatment, but the couple have also fallen out with Dawn’s dad Will over his brutal treatment of her mum Rose.
Kim KIDNAPPED!
Will’s romp with ex-wife Rose definitely wasn’t worth it – not only was it clearly a five out of 10 at best, but he’s since been targeted by a sinister blackmailer who knows his naughty secret and is threatening to spill the beans to his current wife Kim.
Reiss on the ROPES
The bumbling killer panics following an offer from Teddy
BETRAYAL!
Bobby reels when he catches girlfriend Anna kissing Freddie
CHARGED at last?
Could a surprise visitor and a big confession lead to Joel finally getting his comeuppance?
Bethany's HEARTBREAK!
When Daisy got together with Ryan after her messy split from Daniel, it was obvious to everyone but the couple themselves that the relationship had about as much potential as your average Love Island hook-up.
Notes on a SCANDAL
MICHAEL SHEEN and RUTH WILSON on a new drama taking a different look at an interview that shocked the world
Grand DESIGNS
VERNON KAY and AJ ODUDU on why their new contest is a cut above
Ready for LOVE
DAVINA MCCALL on the joy of helping more midlifers find romance
Balancing ACT
OLLY MURS on exploring the difficulties faced by his trapeze-artist great-grandmother