Strictly’s Shirley Ballas has received comments from trolls about ‘putting her in a coffin’… as she discusses backlash after axing Ranvir Singh
Strictly Come Dancing‘s head judge Shirley Ballas has revealed the extent of the trolls’ comments she often received.
Discussing her recent decision to send Ranvir Singh home from the BBC dancing show, the star, 60, has admitted she is used to being attacked online, be it recently or in the past.
‘When it starts getting into talking about putting you in a coffin, or saying horrible things about you, or saying the lowest of the low words you can use for a female… I guess I’m a little sensitive to that.
Nasty trolls: Strictly Come Dancing’s head judge Shirley Ballas has revealed the extent of the trolls’ comments she often received
‘All my life I’d heard that so I just don’t think that’s necessary!’
Shirley admitted she doesn’t shy away from criticism, overall: ‘I am very happy for the viewer to disagree with me and we can chat, we can discuss, I’m okay with that. I think it’s quite healthy.’
Shirley admitted that Strictly fans have been generally positive towards her, especially this year amid the COVID-19 crisis.
She did reveal that there has been a ‘little bit of hate’ still.
Fall out: Discussing her recent decision to send Ranvir Singh home from the BBC dancing show, the star, 60, has admitted she is used to being attacked online, be it recently or in the past
‘Generally, I feel very well supported. I just don’t feel it’s necessary to go into that terrible name-calling,’ she said.
Shirley was talking on a Facebook Live with The Mirror, and went on to stress the importance of being honest about trolling and the effects it has.
‘I don’t just think about myself, I think about the child at school, people in the workplace. You know, I’ve been bullied in the workplace,’ she said.
Of her decision to cut Ranvir, in favour of Jamie Laing, a week before the 2020 final, Shirley said: ‘I love Ranvir very very much, she’s an absolute sweetheart, she had an amazing journey.
‘I have to judge what is in front of me. Not what went the week before, not what I think they can do in the final, but exactly what they’re doing in front of me.
‘And for me Jamie just had the upper hand on this particular day and that’s who I went with and I absolutely made the correct decision.’
Strictly Come Dancing: The Final airs on Saturday at 6PM on BBC One.