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Privacy NoticeStrictly Come Dancing’s beloved judge, Shirley Ballas, has shared the devastating moment she discovered her brother had tragically taken his own life. The 63 year old dance legend joined the Strictly family in 2017, stepping into the shoes of the late Len Goodman, and quickly won over the hearts of viewers. Known as the ‘Queen of Latin’, Shirley has been lighting up the dance floor since she was a child, bagging numerous championship titles in her specialism, International Latin. However, behind the glitz and glamour, the Liverpool-born star has faced personal heartache, losing her brother David in December 2003. In a candid chat with the Telegraph, the BBC favourite revealed the “worst moment of her life” when she picked up the phone to learn of her brother’s tragic passing. She recalled: “I collapsed on the floor and had to call my ex-husband to drive my mother and me, because we were in London, all the way up to the North. It was the Friday of a bank holiday weekend, so the traffic was bad, and we couldn’t get hold of anybody to tell us what was happening.” “Everything was a drama. And my poor mother: when the police came to the front door and said, “Mrs Rich? I moved aside, and she stepped forward and they broke the news. It was awful.”
Shirley was raised by a single mother in a small council flat
(Image: No credit)
Shirley, who has been married twice and is mum to son Mark with her second husband Corky Ballas, has since become an ambassador for the charity Campaign Against Living Miserably (CALM) following David’s death. She revealed: “The only positive that can be taken from such a terrible time is that, because I got the Strictly job years later, I’m now able to use that platform to be an ambassador for the Campaign Against Living Miserably, so I’m able to help people with suicidal thoughts or anybody who feels like they want to take their own life.” Taking to social media in December, 2023, Shirley commemorated her brother David twenty years after his tragic passing. Alongside a heartfelt photo of them together and images depicting a London Southbank tribute dedicated to David, Shirley penned an emotional message.
Shirley revealed her brother David took his own life in 2003
(Image: Mike Marsland/Getty Images for Hearst UK)
“20 years ago today my dearest brother David took his own life,” she began. “I lost my brother, my protector and my best friend. I’ll remember the dreaded knock on the front door forever. I can still picture the police officers standing there and I just knew something was wrong. ‘Mrs Rich’, they said. I stepped aside and my mother stepped forward. From that moment, our worlds came crashing down.” She continued, “How time flies dearest David. Where have the years gone… you are truly missed on a daily basis. I’ll never really know why you went, but my mother and I talk about you often and you are never forgotten. Mary, your beautiful daughter, is doing you so very proud. She is strong, beautiful and she brings us so much joy.” “My work for @calmzone and @suicideandco will continue with you in the forefront of my mind. My Skyathlon was for you David. I zip lined, wing walked and I skydived for you David. I’ll continue to support others who are in dark places as I have learnt over the years there is light at the end of the tunnel. Continue to rest in peace David. Mum and I miss you so very much.” If you’ve been affected by any of the issues in this story you can contact Samaritans in the UK and Ireland on freephone 116 123, or email jo@samaritans.org or jo@samaritans.ie.Story SavedYou can find this story in My Bookmarks.Or by navigating to the user icon in the top right.Follow OK! MagazineFacebookTwitterCommentMore OnShirley BallasStrictly Come Dancing
