Strictly Come Dancing judge Shirley Ballas, 63, cancels wedding to fiance, 50

09 January 2024 , 22:20

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Strictly Come Dancing judge Shirley Ballas, 63, cancels wedding to fiance, 50

It appears Strictly star Shirley Ballas won't be walking down the aisle anytime soon after cancelling her future nuptials to boyfriend Danny Taylor.

The dance judge, 63, and her younger beau, 53, have been dating since 2019 after they both met while performing in a pantomime production of Jack and the Beanstalk. It was clearly meant to be as the pair soon began regularly seeing each other despite their busy schedules. Danny works as an actor while Shirley is a head judge at the BBC's Strictly Come Dancing.

Previously, Shirley has been married twice, her first marriage to ballroom dancer Sammy Stopford lasted for four years, from 1980 to 1984. She later wed Corky Ballas just a year later, however the pair split in 2007.

While the couple have kept details of their relationship outside of the spotlight, in June, the BBC star shared that she wanted to postpone her wedding as she had plans to travel and hoped to spend the summer with her close ones, including her mother.

Shirley has married twice before (Ken McKay/ITV/REX/Shutterstock)

Danny reportedly popped the question in 2021 (Ken McKay/ITV/REX/Shutterstock)

In an interview last year, 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 is different things we want to do. [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," she added, referring to their long-distance romance."

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The couple were secretly engaged in 2021, with Danny surprising Shirley with a diamond ring. While it seemed the pair have been intent on saying 'I do' this year, now Shirley has brazenly said she has no intention of marrying again. "Two marriages, an engagement, two long-term relationships later and I will not be getting married again. I’ve made the decision" The Sun reports.

When they first met, the 63-year-old choreographer seemed more than keen to tie the knot for a third time. Speaking about him in 2019, she said: “I would marry him tomorrow, if he asked me. If this is what love is, I have never experienced it before.”

Gushing over him at the time, she continued: "He's very kind and very ­caring — he's always there for me. I hope he'll propose one day but he's never married and I think he's a bit nervous about it, so we'll see. Come on, Danny!" Shirley has previously referred to Danny as 'The One' in an interview with HELLO! magazine.

"We have a lot in common and we laugh all the time. He is part of the reason why I readjusted my life. Danny is just so magnificently special. I have met his parents and everybody likes each other. That’s a plus."

Ayaan Ali