“When I married Sammy, my first husband, we were both just so young. But I've had a hugely successful career and I owe a lot of what I learnt in the industry to him, because he was already a top professional, and I was a nobody, really.”

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.