Shirley Ballas defends new Strictly hosts: ‘The BBC has really got this right’

As reactions to the new Strictly Come Dancing hosts continue to buzz around online, Shirley Ballas is giving her verdict.

A respected head judge with decades of dance expertise, Shirley has become a well-loved member of the Strictly family, having joined the panel in 2017.

For the entirety of her tenure thus far, she’s only known Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman to be at the helm, with primetime TV’s first female presenting duo stunning the nation last year when they announced their departure.

In the months since, speculation has been rife about who would step into their shoes, with the likes of Zoe Ball and Rylan Clark confirming they were in the running for the coveted gig.

But in an unexpected twist, the BBC’s flagship show has now confirmed not two but three new presenters, with broadcaster Emma Willis, comedian Josh Widdicombe, and long-time pro Johannes Radebe stepping up to the glitter ball.

Excited for the programme to enter a fresh era, in an exclusive chat with Metro, Shirley defends the Beeb’s casting decisions amid backlash and uncertainty as she weighs in on the newbies.

‘I think it was a surprise to everybody that it was three and not two, so now it’s where they fit and what those little changes are,’ she shares.

‘Of course, everybody loves JoJo. He’s just a well-loved figure. He’s been in Kinky Boots; he’s a professional dancer, but more than that, it’s half his character. He wears his heart on his sleeve, so it’s an absolute delight that we got him.’

Shirley teases that the South African performer’s role has open possibilities: ‘Is he gonna be backstage? Is he a main presenter? Is he in the Clauditorium?’

‘I’m not overly familiar with Josh Widdicombe,’ she admits. ‘I did meet him yesterday at Good Morning Britain. Charming chap, so I’ve been online and studied him a bit more, and he’s funny, funny, funny, funny.’

‘And what can we say about Emma? She’s just a doll,’ the judge praises. ‘I did Cooking with the Stars with her, and I told her, “I’m so scared about cooking because I’m a terrible cook,” and she looked at me and said, “Think about those people on Strictly, Shirley. You can do it. I believe in you!” That was my first interaction with Emma. So I sent her a message yesterday, and she replied.’

‘I think the BBC has really got this right,’ Shirley declares, joking that Strictly has had a ‘facelift’.

‘I’m due one of them next year, but anyway… a facelift for Strictly! I think you’re gonna find it highly entertaining.’

Shirley joined Strictly following Len Goodman’s departure, at a time when the show had already been running for over a decade and had a loyal fan base.

So, what’s her advice for the newcomers as they take on the challenge of carrying one of the country’s best-loved television institutions each weekend?

‘To be themselves, who they are.

‘I mean, Emma is a seasoned presenter, so now she’s just doing it with dancing, and she loves dancing, and I think Josh is just gonna take it in his stride and enjoy every moment, and JoJo, I think he’ll be here, there, and everywhere!’

She has praised the ‘chemistry’ between the trio but notes that ‘everybody who tried was fantastic’, with Angela Scanlon, Alex Jones, and La Voix all thought to have made the short list.

‘From Zoe to Rylan… but sometimes, it comes down to that chemistry and how you mix. It’s like that with the four judges we’ve got – you form relationships, then you have a cheeky pattern going on between you.’

Of course, it isn’t just a team of new hosts we’re getting but also additional professionals following the exits of Gorka Márquez, Nadiya Bychkova, Luba Mushtuk, Karen Hauer, and Michelle Tsiakkas.

While audiences are still reeling from the loss of such popular dancers, Shirley promises that only good things are ahead.

Hinting at an ‘enormous launch’ in September, she’s also keen to learn what her role will be, having been informed that ‘judges have gotta go in more days’.

‘It’s gonna be an absolutely epic season, for sure.

‘Last year, we got Alexis (Warr) and Julian (Caillon) from the United States and from Australia, both very successful in their own right, and I think that’s already added some freshness to it. 

‘Now we’ve got five new pros, some of them I know. And you are not going to be disappointed.’

Another thing Strictly fans can look forward to is Shirley’s grand return to social media, as she famously enjoys sharing her outfits, hilarious sketch videos, and dance clips online as Strictly season begins.

But aside from all the fun of Instagram and TikTok (her “Chicken!” video plays rent-free on the daily), she’s also working to introduce technology into people’s lives in a different way.

Having partnered with Abbott’s Libre team, she fronts the One Step Ahead campaign, which aims to highlight the UK’s growing tech confidence gap and how that is quietly impacting our health.

A nationwide survey of 1,200 adults found that 35% feel so disconnected from technology that they actively avoid it, while only 18% feel completely up to speed with health tech.

Consequently, Abbott, which pioneers groundbreaking technology to support people living with diabetes via glucose monitors, wants to remind people that they needn’t sit out.

On why she got involved, Shirley tells us: ‘I really want to encourage people to stay open and curious about all the new technology. Two in five adults are missing appointments at the doctor’s because of this – and that is me! I am one of those two.

‘It isn’t about being a technical whiz, or anything like that. To be honest, the digital thing isn’t my thing, and it can be overwhelming, but I’m embracing it myself.’

As part of the collaboration, Shirley, 65, sat down with her mother, Audrey, who will be 89 this year, to speak frankly about tech confidence: ‘She can do FaceTime, WhatsApp, Emojis, she can get her prescription… Two years ago, she’d have thrown it at me! But it’s one small step at a time, and we’re not giving up, because technology isn’t going away.’

While tech offers a wealth of services to improve health these days, Shirley has also been on the receiving end of trolling, particularly at the height of the Strictly run. 

She acknowledges that, while social media is ‘fantastic’, it has a ‘really dark side’, which can be especially hard to get away from when you’re being bullied.

‘I’m learning to put my phone down. I embrace new things that come through, and I’ve learned a lot, but at the same time, it can be daunting to navigate,’ she says.

‘Ultimately, it’s never gonna change. Technology is gonna keep moving forward, so you either get on this train, baby, or you get left behind!’

Shirley Ballas partnered with Abbott’s Libre team for the One Step Ahead campaign, encouraging people, particularly those living with diabetes, to be more open to and curious about health technology.

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