Strictly Come Dancing head judge Shirley Ballas has been taken to hospital after falling and hitting her head on a glass table
Shirley Ballas has said she was taken to hospital after a fall(Image: PA Archive/PA Images)
Strictly Come Dancing head judge Shirley Ballas was rushed to hospital after suffering a nasty fall that saw her strike her head on a glass dressing table.
The 65 year old, who has been at the helm of the BBC dance show’s judging panel since 2017, revealed she is now recuperating from neck and back injuries sustained in the accident, though thankfully avoided any skull damage.
Taking to Instagram, Shirley expressed her gratitude to those who had checked in on her wellbeing, writing: “Thank you to all who reached out to see how I’m doing.
“Scary fall backwards hitting my head on the glass dressing table. Trip to hospital to get a brain scan. Fortunately for me no cracked skull.
“I’ll rest a few days to heal my neck and back.”
Strictly Come Dancing head judge Shirley Ballas was rushed to hospital(Image: PA Archive/PA Images)
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She went on to thank fellow professional dancer Barbara McColl for arranging an urgent medical appointment, as well as her former husband Sammy Stopford for accompanying her throughout the ordeal. Shirley and Sammy were married between 1980 to 1984.
“Hugs [and] thank you to @barbara_mccoll for getting my emergency appointment and to Sammy Stopford for taking me, and sitting with me all day. Gratitude, as the doctor said I was very lucky.”
The incident comes just ahead of the Strictly Come Dancing live tour, which kicks off next week. Shirley is set to join fellow judges Anton Du Beke and Craig Revel Horwood for 30 performances running until 15 February.
Originally from the Wirral, Shirley, who recently opened up about a new role, became part of the Strictly family in 2017, making her first appearance as head judge that September.
Taking to Instagram, Shirley expressed her gratitude to those who had checked in on her wellbeing(Image: Instagram )
Beyond her television work, Shirley has been a vocal supporter of male suicide prevention and men’s mental health initiatives, following the tragic loss of her brother in 2003.
She currently serves as an ambassador for both Campaign Against Living Miserably and Suicide&Co.
The professional dancer has also been proactive in raising awareness about chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), a collection of lung conditions leading to breathing problems, following her mother Audrey’s diagnosis in 2022.