“My mother raised two children on a housing estate, in a place where people said once you got on, you never got off. And she believed in me. So when people tell you that you can't, you can.”

English dancer and television personality

Shirley Ballas is an English dancer and television personality, best known for her work in International Latin and for serving as head judge on Strictly Come Dancing since 2017. She built her reputation through competitive dancing, winning several championship titles in the International Latin division, a record that earned her the nickname "the Queen of Latin." In later years, she became a familiar face on television, especially through her role on the BBC One dance competition, where she appears as a judge rather than a performer.