Shirley Ballas defends distance from Thomas Skinner scandal on Good Morning Britain
Strictly Come Dancing head judge says she stays in her lane as controversy swirls around the new series
Shirley Ballas faced questions about the Thomas Skinner cheating scandal during a Tuesday appearance on Good Morning Britain, where Susanna Reid and Richard Madeley led a discussion tied to the return of Strictly Come Dancing. Ballas, 65, has served as head judge on the BBC show since 2017, and joined the ITV program to preview the brand-new series which premiered over the weekend.
Asked whether she felt any responsibility given the controversy, Ballas said the scandal does not affect her work on the show. She described her role as a straight critique from the tips of the dancers’ toes to the top of their heads, focusing on coordination, synchronization and stage presence, and she said she does not get involved in the surrounding drama. The conversation underscored that the professionals are doing their best throughout the week, and the final outcomes are to be judged on performance rather than headlines.
Context for the discussion included Skinner’s status as a contestant in this year’s series. Skinner, who rose to prominence on the 19th series of The Apprentice, has been at the center of pre-season chatter after reports in 2022 that he cheated on his wife shortly after their May wedding. A Daily Mail interview with his former partner Amy-Lucy claimed the affair lasted roughly three months.
The show’s lineup this year spans sport, entertainment and reality personalities. Producers announced a lineup that includes Nitro, Dani Dyer, Alex Kingston, Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink, Balvinder Sopal, George Clarke, La Voix and Chris Robshaw, with Ellie Goldstein, Thomas Skinner, Vicky Pattison, Stefan Dennis, Ross King, Karen Carney and Lewis Cope also set to participate.
Asked to predict a winner, Ballas described the field as evenly balanced, noting several contestants have both strong moves and memorable personalities. She said it would be a very tough series and she would not hazard a prediction about who might go home first, while singling out Ellie Goldstein for bringing a high level of joy to the launch show.
The conversation also touched on the participants’ personal lives, including light banter about dating apps. Hosts Reid and Madeley referenced dating life in a broader sense and this portion of the chat touched on Raya, the celebrity dating app, in passing as part of ongoing discussion about public figures’ lives off the dance floor. Ballas did not expand on that topic during the segment.
Good Morning Britain airs weekdays on ITV1 and is available to stream on ITVX.