DANCING QUEEN: 'You'd have to shovel me out of my Strictly chair'

Shirley Ballas loves her role as head judge on the hit BBC dance show and despite struggling with back pain, she won't be putting her feet up any time soon, she tells OK! in an exclusive interview

- JEN PHARO

Shirley Ballas has an unshakeable work ethic, a high pain threshold and a razzle-dazzle smile. And she'll need all three to get her through the new series of Strictly Come Dancing as she waits for spinal surgery.

After a 56-year career of non-stop dancing, Shirley, now 63, is struggling with back pain. She's seen three spine specialists and is preparing to go under the knife.

In an exclusive chat, Shirley tells OK!, "I've been to see three specialists and I may need surgery. It's not a choice, I will have to get it sorted. It can wait until after Strictly because I have a high tolerance for pain anyway, and it's something I've been living with for many, many years, but it's just deteriorated over the course of the last year." Spinal surgery is not to be undertaken lightly, but Shirley has sought the best opinions and has the support of her son Mark and her mum Audrey.

"I'm on it like a car bonnet," reassures Shirley.

"I am working and making sure I'm seeing the best people on both sides of the Atlantic - in the United States and here. My whole family's involved in it, and I have some great people with some great advice." Until now, Shirley has lived her life at 100 miles an hour, but she's beginning to accept she needs to take some time out for herself.

"It's time to not work such long hours," concedes Shirley. "Not so much with TV, because that's actually pleasurable and I find it very easy, but I stand on my feet all day, from morning till night, teaching and coaching.

That's the part I'm going to have to take a little bit of a step back from."