Shirley Ballas slams Strictly audience for unfair reaction amid sexist row
SHIRLEY Ballas has claimed that Strictly’s studio audience boo her when she delivers the same scores as the male judges.
The under fire head judge, who viewers have accused of being “sexist” and underscoring female celebrities, claimed it’s actually her and fellow panellist Motsi Mabuse who face unfair critique.
Speaking to Times Radio, Shirley said: “It’s always a little bit… if I give a five you hear the boos, if Anton [Du Beke] gives a five he gets a clap.
“It tends to be me and Motsi too, if we give a lower score.
“Maybe what people don’t understand is that the show can’t run one second over and I get 20 seconds to say my piece.
“So let’s say my darling Anton runs over, I get five seconds, but if everyone has 20 seconds then I can give you some bullet points.”
Meanwhile she has revealed her battle against trolls means she is “no longer allowed a phone” after being pelted by death threats.
The dance pro added at the Cheltenham Literature Festival: “I now have my lovely Harry looking after my social media and I’m not even allowed my phone until Harry has gone through everything.
“I love controversy, if someone does not agree with my 10, we can have a back and forward and that’s lovely but when it’s over the top messages: I want to slice you up, bury you in the yard, your face on a coffin and all that – for me that is strange, that is odd.
“We’re in week four now and it’s getting tougher as good people are now going out – it’ll always be somebody’s favourite – so I apologise in advance.”
Shirley revealed on ITV2 documentary last month that the online abuse has at times meant she struggles to leave the house.
But yesterday she added: “I take it on the chin. I’m still here – I had a choice, I could have left.
“I’ve seen the messages other celebrities get and it’s not just me, it’s across the board.”
Elsewhere she opened up on how her struggle with body image continues even at the age of 63.
She added: “I think I will go to my grave worrying about some part of me, should I have worn the Spanx?”