Shirley Ballas hints that new series of Strictly ‘could feature the first gender fluid pairing’

Strictly Come Dancing is set to return to the BBC later this year.

And judge Shirley Ballas has hinted that in a modern twist, the new series could feature the show’s first gender-fluid pairing.

The 61-year-old explained that ‘everything is possible’, and noted that the show’s executive producer, Sarah James, is always ‘looking outside of the box’.

Making history? Shirley Ballas, 61, has hinted that the new series of Strictly Come Dancing ‘could feature the show’s first gender fluid pairing’ (pictured on the show in 2021)

Chatting to The Mirror during London’s TRIC Awards, the judge shared:  ‘Everything is possible. [Executive producer] Sarah James is always looking outside the box, and if it fits… I’m sure we’ll be seeing a lot of things you won’t be expecting.’

If it was to be the case, the move would follow on from last year’s same-sex finalists John Whaite, 33, and dance partner Johannes Radebe, 35.

The popular duo was prefaced by boxer Nicola Adams and Katya Jones’ pairing in 2020 during the series. 

She explained that ‘everything is possible’, and noted that the show’s executive producer, Sarah James, is always ‘looking outside of the box’ (pictured on the show in 2021)

Same sex: If it was to be the case, the move would follow on from last year’s same-sex finalists John Whaite, 33, and dance partner Johannes Radebe, 35 (pictured)

And while it’s full steam ahead for this years Strictly, Shirley hasn’t ruled out the stateside version of the show either.

Talking to MailOnline at the awards, she said she would do Dancing With The Stars if given the opportunity, as she used to live in the US.

Looking sensational in a cleavage-baring black dress and a smart while blazer, she shared: ‘I never say never to anything that’s offered it’s just whether it gets offered or not. 

Wow! Looking sensational in a cleavage-baring black dress and a smart while blazer at the TRIC Awards, she also told MailOnline: ‘I never say never to anything that’s offered it’s just whether it gets offered or not 

‘My son lives in the US, in California where it’s filmed, I’m just about to go and visit him for the first time in three years this week so I feel jittery with excitement even though I’m not leaving until Saturday.

Shirley’s son Mark is a professional ballroom dancer on Dancing With The Stars in the US.

Speaking about her relationship with her son she added: ‘I’m just taking two weeks off even if I sit across from him and just stare at his face, I just want to cuddle him. Just facetime, he’s definitely a facetime boy, a mummy’s boy. 

She continued: ‘Because I lived there for 11 years down the road from him, it’s only when I got the job and my mother got cancer that i decided to come back, then not long after we went into the lockdown.

Chat: The Strictly Come Dancing judge spoke about doing the stateside version of the show at the event

Never say never: Looking sensational in a cleavage-baring black dress and a smart while blazer, she said: ‘I never say never to anything that’s offered it’s just whether it gets offered or not’ (pictured with boyfriend Daniel Taylor)

‘So yeah i love being back because I have all my friends, a lot of my work is over here, but it’s a heartstring tug not being over there.’

Shirley’s comments come after she opened up about her late brother David’s tragic suicide on This Morning last month.

David, from Wallasey, Merseyside, died aged 44 in 2003 after suffering from depression, leaving Shirley and her family heartbroken. 

And almost 20 years from his death, Shirley became emotional as she reflected on the warning signs of her sibling’s internal struggle.

Emotional: Shirley’s comments come after she opened up about her late brother David’s tragic suicide on This Morning last month

She was seen wiping away tears as she touched on David’s photo being among many which features in an exhibition Campaign Against Living Miserably (Calm) at London’s Southbank, which shows the smiling faces of 50 people shortly before they took their own lives. 

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Speaking to hosts Phillip Schofield, Shirley said: ‘Seeing my brother there in display in Southbank brought everything back, if I knew now what I knew then I could’ve helped.

‘Everybody loved him. He was a big brother. He was like a father. He was everything to me.

‘We talked every day at four o’clock. He was really the last person that I would ever think would take his own life.’

Tragic: David, from Wallasey, Merseyside, took his own life aged 44 in 2003 after suffering from depression, leaving Shirley and her family heartbroken

The Latin dancer then recalled the little signs that David gave he was struggling, but at the time she didn’t realise how serious things were.

She said: ‘When I look back now, there were warning signs. There was little things that he would say or comments that he would make and I would be like “you’ll be fine, you’ll be fine”.’

Now, almost 20 years after her losing her beloved brother, Shirley urged others to be more ‘astute’ when they notice a change in someone’s behaviour. 

She explained: ‘We have to be astute. Our lives are so packed as mine was back then with people saying “you’ll be fine”.

Sad: And almost 20 years from his death, Shirley became emotional as she reflected on the warning signs of her sibling’s internal struggle

‘I’ve had people say that to me in some of the darkest times in my life, they don’t know what’s going on inside. And even when my brother past people said “It’ll be fine” and if you haven’t been through this it won’t be fine.

‘You learn to live with it, but it never goes away. It’s hard to ever let go.’

As Phillip emphasised how important it is to ‘talk to people’ after sharing his own dark times, Shirley went on: ‘There are many organisations where you can reach out to communicate on a small level.

‘We’re in a moving world with social media, life goes so fast, and if you just take a step back, a breath, a moment, and listen and really try to see your family or friend…’

Her everything: Speaking to hosts Phillip Schofield, Shirley said: ‘Everybody loved him. He was a big brother. He was like a father. He was everything to me’

Since her brother’s death, Shirley has become an ardent campaigner for mental health awareness, even setting up charity The Ballas Foundation with her son Mark.

Shirley was said to have felt ‘overwhelming grief’ when her brother David took his own life in 2003. 

Mark, 36, previously opened up about the incident on his website. 

In a blog post on his blog unearthed by The Mirror in 2017, the he writes: ‘For me, it’s about raising awareness of depression. It’s not like a mood swing.

Distraught: Shirley said: ‘We talked every day at four o’clock. He was really the last person that I would ever think would take his own life’

Warning: Now, almost 20 years after her losing her beloved brother, Shirley urged others to be more ‘astute’ when they notice a change in someone’s behaviour

‘People struggle with it every day. Nothing matters. My uncle’s daughter was everything to him, but it didn’t matter because he was sick.

‘You have to make people aware of it so they can recognize it and help people get better.’

The post continues: ‘The family was not only left with overwhelming grief, but guilt. You keep thinking maybe you could have done something.’

David and Mark had been especially close since he helped look after him while Shirley pursued dancing opportunities in the US.

Shirley and her son decided to go public with their story in 2010 in bid to raise awareness for suicide prevention. 

If you have been affected by this story, you can call the Samaritans on 116 123 or visit www.samaritans.org 

Touching: David’s photo features in an exhibition Campaign Against Living Miserably (Calm) at London’s Southbank, which shows the smiling faces of 50 people shortly before they took their own lives