Shirley Ballas Breaks Silence On Strictly Come Dancing Future As Furious ‘Bias’ Backlash Intensifies

Shirley Ballas has finally addressed her future on Strictly Come Dancing after facing mounting criticism over her judging style, with angry viewers accusing her of showing bias against female contestants. And despite growing calls for the BBC to replace her, the 66-year-old has now made one thing clear: she is back in the UK and continuing with the show.

The professional dancer spoke out on Instagram on Tuesday, November 3, following her recent appearance on the American dance competition Dancing With The Stars. Her comments come just days after she faced another wave of criticism over her supposedly harsh remarks on the US programme, alongside the controversy surrounding her scoring on Strictly.

Shirley Confirms She Is Back On Strictly After DWTS Appearance

Reflecting on her experience as a judge on Dancing With The Stars, Shirley took to social media to thank fans who had supported her throughout the appearance.

“Thinking back to @dancingwiththestars last week,” she began.

She went on to describe the opportunity as something she had never imagined would happen, despite having spent many years watching the American programme from its audience.

“Having sat in the DWTS audience for many, many years, never did I imagine, not even for a second, that one day I’d be blessed with the chance to sit behind the desk. What an incredible experience and a privilege to share my knowledge and passion,” she wrote.

Shirley also praised the competing couples, saying they had given everything during what she described as a spectacular evening.

She added that the experience had flown by, and thanked everyone who had sent messages of encouragement, kindness and support.

But it was her next update that offered the clearest indication of where things stand with her BBC commitments.

“I’m now back in the UK continuing with @bbcstrictly,” Shirley confirmed.

She also sent her best wishes to the remaining contestants, professional dancers and production team on Dancing With The Stars, making no suggestion that she intended to walk away from her role on the BBC competition.

Viewers Accuse Shirley Of Being Too Harsh On Female Contestants

Despite her reassuring update, Shirley’s position on Strictly remains a subject of considerable debate.

The 66-year-old has faced particularly fierce criticism this season, with some viewers questioning whether her scoring has been fair to the female celebrities competing for the Glitterball Trophy.

The latest backlash erupted following the show’s Halloween special, which aired on Saturday.

Several viewers took issue with Shirley’s scores and comments, accusing her of being disproportionately critical of the female contestants.

One moment that attracted particular attention involved Tabby Stoecker, who received just five points from Shirley.

Taking to X, one frustrated viewer wrote:

“A five for Tabby [Stoecker]? That’s harsh even by Shirley’s standards. Shirley Ballas has seen the complaints put against her on #Strictly and #DWTS about her bias against female contestants, and is doubling down on it.”

Another viewer was equally unimpressed, questioning the judge’s attitude towards the women competing on the programme.

“The energy Shirley Ballas is bringing tonight is just not the one… why does she hate women so much?” they posted.

A third critic went even further, describing Shirley as the show’s biggest problem and accusing her of treating the Saturday-night entertainment programme with excessive seriousness.

Calls For Shirley To Leave The Show Continue

The criticism has added to growing tensions surrounding Shirley’s judging, with some viewers now openly calling for the BBC to remove her from the panel.

Her recent appearance on Dancing With The Stars has also attracted scrutiny, particularly after her comments and judging decisions prompted further debate.

However, Shirley’s latest Instagram statement suggests she remains firmly committed to her work on Strictly Come Dancing.

For now, despite the complaints and calls for change, the head judge appears to have no intention of stepping away from the BBC dance competition.