Shirley Ballas has told how difficult it was ‘dredging all the details’ of her brother David’s suicide for her upcoming memoir.
The Strictly Come Dancing judge, 60, has detailed how her brother David took his own life in 2003 at the age of 44 after battling depression in her new book Behind the Sequins: My Life.
Appearing on Loose Women today, the Merseyside-born ballroom dancer explained that remembering he brother, as well as leaving her first marriage to Sammy Stopford caused her to seek therapy.
She admitted that her knowledge of mental health issues was limited while David was alive, and believes that if there had been more of an awareness while he was battling depression, he may ‘still be alive today’.
Shirley Ballas has detailed how her brother David (pictured) took his own life in 2003 at the age of 44 after battling depression in her new book Behind the Sequins: My Life
Appearing on Loose Women today, the Strictly Come Dancing judge, 60, told how difficult it was ‘dredging all the details’ of her brother David’s suicide for her upcoming memoir
‘I think leaving my first husband had kind of had an impact on me,’ said Shirley, ‘And my brother’s suicide and dredging all the details and remembering.
‘Because I’ve kept notebooks all my life, stacks and stacks of diaries, so I had to make a choice about what I put in the book.
‘And generally my life from a small child not having my father when you’re reliving it all at once, it becomes quite difficult when it’s back to back.’
Shirley told that while she and David spoke regularly, she ‘didn’t know anything’ about his mental health battles at the time.
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Shirley, pictured in 2019, told that while she and David spoke regularly, she ‘didn’t know anything’ about mental health at the time
She said: ‘When David died I didn’t know anything at all in mental health and I think I was so wrapped up in my career. We spoke on the phone regularly and he helped raise my son – but it was just a very difficult time.
‘Now I know a lot about mental health, if I could go back I believe he would still be here today, education is key, talking is key.’
She added: ‘Now we’re in a lockdown there are so many people suffering including me.
‘There are so many places, Calm, Mind the Samaritans and I just think I wasn’t educated I just didn’t know enough. ‘
Shirley told that she had therapy throughout her second marriage, to retired ballroom dancer Corky Ballas, now 56, with whom she shares her 34-year-old son Mark
Speaking of why she decided to pen her book, she went on: ‘It took me a long time to make the decision to write it and 18 months to finally decide to do it and I did try to be as honest as I could and I hope other people relate to it .’
Shirley told that she had therapy throughout her second marriage, to retired ballroom dancer Corky Ballas, now 56, with whom she shares her 34-year-old son Mark.
She said: ‘My first husband was Sammy I married him when I was about 18 or 19 he taught me all about the industry and Corky was my second husband who I had my beautiful son with Mark.
‘I had therapy all the way through my second marriage, my therapy gives me great tools, he just listens, he gives great tools and great advice.’
Source: Daily Mail
