Strictly Come Dancing judges’ love lives – ‘sued by ex’, fat shamed and IVF struggles

Strictly Come Dancing is back and all four judges have made a glamorous return.

In 2021, the judging panel experienced a major shake-up when former professional dancer Anton Du Beke replaced Bruno Tonioli, who starred on the show since its first series back in 2004.

Anton joined Craig Revel Horwood, as well as head judge Shirley Ballas and Motsi Mabuse in sharing their critique for the celebrities.

READ MORE: Strictly bosses risk fan backlash as more than half of 2023 cast have dance experience

As the hit BBC dance competition is returning to screens for its 21st series, Daily Star has looked into the judges’ love lives.

Craig Revel Horwood

Choreographer and dancer Craig, 58, has been part of the Strictly judging panel since it first kicked off nearly two decades ago. Years before this, when the theatre star was 25, he tied the knot with 30-year-old Jane Horwood in 1990.

In his autobiography All Balls and Glitter: My Life, Craig revealed that Jane thought he was gay when they first met.Talking candidly about their relationship, he told Daily Mail in 2019: “I was both gay and straight, so being bisexual, it wasn’t a big issue for me or for her. We were two people who loved each other, coming together and wanting to have kids before it was too late.”

The couple’s marriage collapsed less than two years after their nuptials following Craig’s discovery that Jane was having an affair.

“It didn’t last, mainly because our sex life diminished somewhat and I suppose that led to the inevitable scenario – Jane slept with someone else,” the former drag queen wrote in his book. “I discovered the affair just before our two-year anniversary.”

Despite their split, Craig revealed he still has a close friendship with his ex-wife. The theatre director previously dated Harley Street pharmacist Grant MacPherson, but the pair split in 2011 after five years together.

In 2013, Craig announced he was in a relationship with Britain’s Got Talent puppeteer Damon Scott, who reached the final of the ITV talent show in 2007.

Despite opening up about marriage and adoption, the pair called it quits in 2016 after three years. Craig found love once again with horticulturalist Jonathan Myring after meeting on the Strictly tour in 2018.

Jonathan, who is 22 years Craig’s junior, popped the question during a trip to Tasmania in March 2020. The couple have pushed the date back for their wedding numerous times, citing money and work commitments as reasons why. It is believed the couple will finally tie the knot at some point in 2024.

Shirley Ballas

Shirley Ballas has been married twice, first tying the knot with ballroom dancer Sammy Stopford, who she fell for when she was 17 in 1980. Four years after walking down the aisle, the couple filed for divorce but have remained close friends over the years.

The 63-year-old’s second marriage was to Corky Ballas, who she met at a dance competition in Canada in 1982. The couple, who share a son Mark, separated in 2007 after a turbulent 22 years of marriage.

During their volatile marriage, Shirley claimed that her ex-husband used to fat shame her which is why she has always had a “difficult” relationship with food.

Speaking to Radio Times, she said: “I’ve got a difficult relationship with food, one million percent. My ex-husband had a thing about weight, as he was in such beautiful shape himself.”

Shirley, who boasts a 40-year career as a Latin dancer, appeared on the BBC Two documentary Womanhood and opened up about the time her ex-husband allegedly hid a cockroach in a doughnut to stop her from getting “too heavy.” The Strictly star claimed: “My husband at the time thought I was too heavy for being three months pregnant. So, he put a roach underneath my doughnut.

“When I ate my next doughnut, the cockroach crackled in my mouth with the legs dangling on the outside,” which she revealed made her throw up instantly,

Corky has never publicly commented on any of these claims.

It was third time lucky for Shirley after she met Danny Taylor at pantomime rehearsals for Jack And The Beanstalk in 2018. Despite her turbulent love life, Shirley previously admitted “life is easier” with Danny, who is 13 years her junior.

Last month, Shirley shut down rumours that she’d split from her partner, however, admitted it was “miraculous” that they’re still together due to their busy work schedules.

“Danny, we’re still together after four-and-a-half years,” she told The Sun. “That’s miraculous.”

Shirley added: “He has a very busy schedule and I have a very busy schedule. He’s in the north and I’m in the south, but somehow we do try to make it work, so that’s good.”

Motsi Mabuse

Motsi, who has been a Strictly judge since 2019, married German dancer Timo Kulczak at the age of 23 in 2003.

In 2014, the couple went their separate ways after 11 years of marriage. In her 2022 book, Finding My Own Rhythm, Motsi recalled the toxic elements of their relationship, claiming her ex would control her finances and even decide what she would eat at times.

The South African dancer, 42, also said they would argue every day, while Timo would ignore her desire to become a mother and also refused to let her open her own dance school.

Earlier this year, it was reported by The Sun that Timo had demanded £70,000 from Motsi due to the comments she made about him in her book. Motsi has been happily married to dancer Evgenij Voznyuk since 2017 and the couple share a daughter, born in 2018.

Anton Du Beke

Former Strictly pro Anton Du Beke, 57, met Hannah Summers at a golf club in 2011 and they quietly married in 2017. In March that same year, the couple announced they had welcomed twins, George and Henrietta, now six.

But the road to parenthood was far from simple as the couple tried to conceive for many years and were unsuccessful until they turned to IVF. Discussing their IVF process on the Parenting Hell podcast, Anton said: “We were enormously fortunate as we had one go but it was sort of boot camp, we were hardcore at it so it was really hard on Hannah – blood tests, injections very day – it’s really difficult.”

Have you joined Threads? Follow Daily Star to keep up to date on all things showbiz here

Speaking last year about watching Hannah, 46, become a mother, Anton gushed: ” “[Hannah is] everything I thought she would be. I thought she’d be an excellent mum, always knew she’d be a great mum but she couldn’t have children.”

Following Hannah’s long-term struggle with endometriosis, she discovered she couldn’t conceive naturally. Anton added: “I thought, ‘Isn’t it funny how nature works in mysterious ways?’ – the person I thought would be an incredible mum couldn’t have children. That’s the sad irony of it all.

“But as we had IVF, we were able to have them in the end and I’m thrilled for me – because I’d have 100 [kids] by the way, because I love them – but I’m thrilled for Hannah because she is amazing at it.”

Strictly Come Dancing airs Saturdays and Sundays on BBC One

For more of the latest showbiz and TV news from the Daily Star, make sure you sign up for one of our newsletters here

Source: Celebrities - dailystar.co.uk