Shirley Ballas reveals need for major surgery amid health issues
Shirley Ballas has confirmed that she is awaiting spinal surgery.
The Strictly Come Dancing head judge has shared that she has been privately battling severe back pain for several years.
Now, in an interview with OK!, the 64-year-old has detailed that she has had consultations with three spine experts, all of whom have stated that she will need surgery to mend her pain.
"I've been to see three specialists and I may need surgery. It's not a choice, I will have to get it sorted,” Shirley confirmed, before going on to insist that it will not affect her appearances on Strictly later this year.
“It can wait until after Strictly because I have a high tolerance for pain anyway, and it's something I've been living with for many, many years, but it's just deteriorated over the course of the last year,” she explained.
"I'm on it like a car bonnet. I am working and making sure I’m seeing the best people on both sides of the Atlantic — in the United States and here. My whole family’s involved in it, and I have some great people with some great advice,” she detailed further.
However, the dancing star also went on to admit that she needs to slow down her lifestyle and prioritise her health.
"It's time to not work such long hours. Not so much with TV, because that’s actually pleasurable and I find it very easy, but I stand on my feet all day, from morning till night, teaching and coaching. That’s the part I’m going to have to take a little bit of a step back from,” she reflected.
Shirley concluded by teasing that she doesn’t plan to leave Strictly any time soon, as she joked: “You'd have to shovel me out of my chair. I'm going to sit in that chair for as long as they'll have me!"
Shirley will return to Strictly later this week, when it premieres this Saturday (September 14) on BBC One at 7:20pm.
