BBC Strictly Come Dancings Shirley Ballas called out on cheeky pre-show ritual

Shirley Ballas admits she loves a shot of brandy in her coffee

Strictly Come Dancing head judge Shirley Ballas was called out on her cheeky pre-show ritual by Ranvir Singh during an appearance on Lorraine. The glamourous star was appearing to promote her new book when she was quizzed about a request she had made before coming on.

Ranvir revealed that she had asked for some brandy for her coffee and Shirley admitted that this is a regular thing. “I have a teaspoon of brandy in my coffee before the show. Every day if I’m honest,” she laughed.

Shirley also revealed her thoughts on the current Strictly Come Dancing judging panel admitting she calls the group the “fab four”. She intimated that she has had a lot of support from Motsi Mabuse following a slew of online trolling.

“She wrote me the most beautiful message the other day and she was sending me articles that she’d see in the press and said, ‘You know I’ll always have your back.’ and I said, ‘I’ll always have your back Motsi’,” she gushed.

“35 years we’ve known each other, as with Anton du Beke, and I feel that the panel of judges that are there right now, the fab four I call them because each of them is really concerned with the other’s mental health,” she said.

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This includes Craig Revel Horwood who, while famously scathing with the contestants on Strictly, is a “doll” to his fellow judges – according to Shirley.

“He gave me the most beautiful compliment over the weekend,” she recollected without sharing what it was. “He’s just a doll. Just lovely.”

Her gushing compliments for her fellow judges come after she revealed she is considering a move back to the US, following the birth of her first grandson.

The head judge’s son Mark Ballas and his wife, who live in America, welcomed their baby boy Banksi Wylde into the world last month. Speaking about the new arrival, Shirley told OK! Magazine: “I don’t want to be a part-time grandmother.

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“I want to be there as much as I can be, as much as his mum and dad will allow me to be part of the baby’s life. I could spend six months there and six months here – and I can afford to.”

She went on to say: “I don’t want to miss out on my grandbaby. That is instilled in my head.” With her plan, the judge is adamant she won’t give up her duties on Strictly and will be able to fit her schedule around being a hands-on grandma.

“I’d never want to leave Strictly. I’ll be on TV and on the tour for as long as they’ll have me. I love Strictly,” she added. “I can always fly to the States on a Monday and come back on a Friday.”

Lorraine is on ITV weekdays at 9am.

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