Shirley Ballas has opened up about her unconventional relationship with boyfriend Danny Taylor and admitted the couple have no desire to get married.
The 63-year-old Strictly Come Dancing judge has been with her 50-year-old partner for five years after they met during pantomime rehearsals for Jack And The Beanstalk in 2018.
Despite their close relationship, she said she no longer wanted to tie the knot with Danny after realizing she was being a bit pushy and decided to “back off”.
Shirley has been married twice, first marrying her dance partner Sammy Stopford in 1980, before separating five years later.
She then married fellow professional ballroom dancer Corky Ballas in 1985 and they welcomed their son Mark Ballas together before divorcing in 2007.
Independent: Shirley Ballas has opened up about her unconventional relationship with boyfriend Danny Taylor and admitted the couple have no desire to get married (pictured this month)
Loved up: The 63-year-old Strictly Come Dancing judge has been with her 50-year-old partner for five years after they met during pantomime rehearsals for Jack And The Beanstalk in 2018
Change of heart: Despite their close relationship, she has said she no longer wants to tie the knot with Danny after realizing she was being “a bit pushy” and decided to “back off” (pictured together in 2019 ).
In a new interview, Shirley revealed that she has decided that marriage isn’t for her and that she wants to be “dependent on myself.”
Speaking to Heat magazine, she said: “I actually told it [Danny] on Valentine’s Day when we had dinner at the Shard. Romantic, right? I just decided it wasn’t for me. I’m having a grandchild, he’s having a teenager – it just feels good for both of us to have that feeling of freedom.
“He doesn’t have to ask me if he wants to do anything, and I don’t have to ask him either.” Plus, he’s never been married – I think he likes the idea of being a spinster, if that’s the right word. And I’ve been married twice.’
She continued: “I really enjoyed being married – and when I told my son I wouldn’t get married again, he said, ‘Well, you were the one who pushed for it in the first place.’ That was true – It was never Danny who said he wanted to get married, it always came from me.
“I was being a little pushy and I just realized that I needed to hold back a little bit and think, ‘Okay, I don’t need that.’ I don’t need to be so dependent, I just need to be dependent on myself. “As I sit here today, I don’t want to get married.”
The dancer went on to reveal that she hasn’t seen Danny very much in the last few months either, saying that she’s only seen him once since taking part in her charity Skyathlon in August.
She explained: “He’s just as busy too.” He’s currently performing a play called By The Waters of Liverpool and also has a 13-year-old son.
Shirley argued: “We talk on the phone regularly, so you could say we have a good FaceTime relationship.” But it works. “I have no interest in getting another boyfriend and he has no interest in getting another girlfriend.”
Not interested: In a new interview, Shirley revealed she has decided marriage isn’t for her and wants to be ‘dependent on myself’ (pictured this month)
Unconventional: The dancer went on to reveal that she hasn’t seen Danny very much in recent months either, saying she’s only seen him once since taking part in her charity Skyathlon in August
She is preparing to become a grandmother for the first time as her son Mark – who is also a professional dancer and appears on Dancing With The Stars – is expecting a baby with his wife next month.
Shirley said she will be taking on the role of “Glamma,” as she affectionately calls it, and admitted she will “spoil the baby.”
She said she was ready to fly to America to be there for Mark and his wife BC Jean as they prepare to welcome their “rainbow baby” after suffering a miscarriage last year.
Shirley told the Mirror: “We’re calling this baby Rainbow because my daughter-in-law lost a baby last year.”
“I was on Strictly and couldn’t fly to them, which was devastating. “I found it difficult to get through the show.
“Mark was on Dancing with the Stars and had to come into work devastated. I knew how depressed he was, but I couldn’t tell anyone.”
Exciting: She’s preparing to become a grandmother for the first time as her son Mark – who is also a professional dancer and appears on Dancing With The Stars – is expecting a baby with his wife next month (pictured: Mark, Shirley and BC Jean). in 2017)