Shirley Ballas: Nothing is going to dampen Strictly’s 20th anniversary

Shirley Ballas has said that “nothing is going to dampen” Strictly Come Dancing’s 20th anniversary celebration following controversy hanging over the latest season.

The BBC launched an investigation after 2023 participant Amanda Abbington made allegations about the behaviour of professional dancer Giovanni Pernice.

Pernice, who has left the BBC One show and moved to the Italian version Ballando con le Stelle this year, has denied “any suggestion of abusive or threatening behaviour”, and the probe has yet to conclude or be released.

The investigation has also prompted other previous contestants including Love Island star Zara McDermott, TV presenter Laura Whitmore and Paralympian Will Bayley to speak up about duty of care issues.

New measures to “strengthen welfare and support” on Strictly, including a chaperone who would be present during training-room rehearsals “at all times”, have been introduced.

Strictly judge and “Queen of Latin” Ballas, while speaking to the PA news agency on a new Campaign Against Living Miserably (Calm) campaign, said: “To be perfectly honest, I stay in my lane. I don’t condone anything that some people may have gone through, but all I could say is the show that we will be producing this year is full of humour.

“I’ve never laughed so much in all my life from the launch show. I mean that Chris McCausland and Wynne Evans, they’ve got their own little battle going on. I think it’s just such great camaraderie … this year and everybody seems bright and light, and nothing is going to dampen this show in any shape or form.

“It’s got new twists and turns this year, and don’t forget the millions and millions and millions and millions and millions and millions of people that this show brings joy to, from every age group – from four all the way up to grandpa or grandma.”

Comedian McCausland, who is the first blind Strictly contestant, opera singer Evans, DIY SOS presenter Nick Knowles, JLS star JB Gill, singer Toyah Willcox, Love Island’s Tasha Ghouri and reality TV star Pete Wicks are among the celebrities who are set to join the show this season as the first 2024 episode airs on Saturday.

Ballas says that during competitive reality shows it is about the “pressure you put on yourself”.

Using her appearance competing on The Masked Singer as an example, she said: “Nobody put it on me. I had to go out there in front of millions and sing, and I wanted to prove to myself that I could do something out of my comfort zone.

“I had the most thrilling and marvellous time. It was probably one of the highlights of my career. So, when people go on to the show (Strictly), of course, each person puts themselves under different pressures, people are there for different reasons.

“People are there just have a good old time, like Chris McCausland. He just wants to be part of it. See what he can do, pick up some steps. So, I think the whole thing is going to be absolutely joyous this year.”

The suicide prevention charity Calm has unveiled an installation, running until Wednesday, at Westfield, London, featuring 6,929 balloons – each one representing a young person who has died from suicide over the last decade.

For more on Campaign Against Living Miserably’s (Calm) Missed Birthdays campaign, visit thecalmzone.net