Strictly Come Dancing head judge Shirley Ballas has reportedly split from her former fiancé Danny Taylor after a six-year relationship.
The 64-year-old dancer and her 51-year-old partner are said to have ended their romance just three years after announcing their engagement.
The news comes only months after Ballas revealed she had called off their engagement plans, though at the time she insisted they were still together.
The couple, who met in 2018 while starring in a pantomime production of Jack and the Beanstalk, had been navigating a long-distance relationship.
Ballas, based in London, and Taylor, who remains in Liverpool, have reportedly struggled with the demands of their busy schedules and the distance between them.
A source told The Sun: “As with any break-up, it is, of course, a very sad situation. She gave her all to that relationship and in the end came to the realisation that it wasn’t going anywhere.”
BBC Strictly star Shirley Ballas has reportedly ‘split’ from Danny Taylor
Getty
The insider added: “She made a lot of effort to see Danny and support his theatre and panto work, travelling up and down the country.”
The couple’s split appears amicable, as they reportedly still follow each other on social media.
Earlier this year, Ballas spoke about her decision to call off the engagement, saying: “I’ve changed my mind. I just feel that at this particular point in my life, my mother and I have got this great relationship and we want to do some travelling.”
Despite this, she had insisted at the time that their relationship was “going good”.
Shirley Ballas is currently in the midst of this year’s Strictly Come Dancing
BBC
The source cited distance as a significant factor in the couple’s separation. “Distance also played its part – Shirley lives in London with her mother and Danny remains based in Liverpool; that commute is a killer,” the insider explained.
Despite the split, the source emphasised Ballas’s resilience: “Shirley is a strong, resilient character and is looking better than ever. She will 100% bounce back – 2025 promises to be an absolute corker for her.”
Ballas had previously spoken about their relationship, saying: “We talk to each other every day – several times a day, and my mum talks to him as well.”
The Strictly judge had also shared her initial feelings for Taylor: “I fell in love way before… I think for me it was [at] first sight.”
Representatives for Shirley Ballas have not yet commented on the reported split.
Ballas had previously opened up about her relationship with Taylor, describing their first meeting as “love at first sight”. She said: “We met on panto as friends. It didn’t really take off until March… for him. I fell in love way before.”
The Strictly judge had been candid about her changing views on marriage. In June, she told MailOnline: “I’ve changed my mind. I just feel that at this particular point in my life, my mother and I have got this great relationship and we want to do some travelling and there are different things we want to do.”
Shirley Ballas had been in a relationship with Danny for six years
BBC
Despite calling off the engagement, Ballas had maintained that their relationship was strong. She said: “The relationship is going good – I’m busy, he’s busy and we talk to each other every day – several times a day, and my mum talks to him as well.”
The reported split comes after a period of uncertainty in the couple’s relationship. In June, Ballas’s son had denied allegations of a breakup, with Ballas herself addressing the claims shortly after. She had said at the time: “Danny and I are still together contrary to anything you might read. Who knows [if we’ll get married].”
Ballas, who replaced the late Len Goodman on Strictly Come Dancing, has been married twice before. This experience seems to have influenced her recent decision-making regarding marriage.
Despite the challenges, both Ballas and Taylor have busy careers. Ballas continues her role as head judge on Strictly, while Taylor pursues his theatre work.
The couple’s relationship had been public knowledge, with Ballas often speaking fondly of Taylor in interviews. However, the demands of their respective careers and the geographical distance appear to have taken their toll.