‘I only need to rely on myself’: Strictly’s Shirley Ballas explains why she called off wedding to ex-fiancé
Shirley Ballas revealed why she called off her wedding to her former fiancé, Danny Taylor, one year before they ended their relationship. The Strictly Come Dancing head judge, 64, and the actor, 51, have reportedly split after six years together. "As with any break-up, it is, of course, a very sad situation. She gave her all to that relationship and in the end came to the realisation that it wasn't going anywhere. She made a lot of effort to see Danny and support his theatre and panto work, travelling up and down the country," a source told The Sun.
The source added: "Distance also played its part - Shirley lives in London with her mother and Danny remains based in Liverpool; that commute is a killer. But Shirley is a strong, resilient character and is looking better than ever. She will 100% bounce back - 2025 promises to be an absolute corker for her." It is thought that the couple remain friends, and they still follow each other on social media.
Last year, Shirley and Danny gave OK! a glimpse inside the home they shared together, as they opened up on their relationship, including why they called off their engagement. “There was a point there where I wanted to get married,” said Shirley. “I was pushing it, pushing it, pushing it, pushing it – and then there was one point where it was clear and obvious it was just me. So for me marriage is off the table for me now.”
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Danny didn't look convinced, but agreed that a ceremony was definitely on the back burner. Instead, they were simply enjoying spending time together, without the pressure of organising a wedding. “I have a tendency to jump into marriage,” said Shirley, who has been married twice before, most famously to dancer Corky Ballas. “I thought I needed somebody, but I only need to rely on myself.”
Shirley previously spoke about her romance with Danny, revealing they met while working on a pantomime and initially became friends before things blossomed in March. She confessed: "I think for me it was [at] first sight. "He was going through a difficult time in his relationship. We did become friends and then probably in about February I said, 'I love you Danny' and he said, 'I know'. It took a while." The couple met in 2018 when they were both starring in a Christmas production of Jack and The Beanstalk and began dating in 2019.
