Ed Balls has admitted he was banned from his kids’ school for two years after appearing on Strictly.
In 2016, the former Labour politician starred in the popular BBC show and for his children, life would never been the same again. With a willingness to learn and a surprising sense of rhythm, Ed made it all the way to week ten, finishing in sixth place.
However, while he was extremely pleased with his time on the show, his kids were not. They cringed throughout, and to put it bluntly, if watching their dad prance around the stage wasn’t tough enough, his Salsa to Gangnam Style was simply beyond the pale.
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When Ed starred on the show seven years ago, his kids were 13, 15 and 17, and they all refused to let him onto the school grounds. Instead, their mother, Yvette Cooper, a fellow Labour politician, had the sole responsibility of speaking with the teachers.
(Image: WireImage)
In an interview with The Daily Mirror, Ed said: “I was banned from going to parents’ evening for two years after Strictly. The complication for our kids had been – I was secretary of state for schools 2007-2010, so the headteacher was always quite keen to say hello.
“I was allowed to come but never in a suit. That was fine until Strictly. I was entirely banned. Yvette had to go and take notes.”
During his time in Strictly, his elder kids came to watch in the studio, but for Maddy, who was a bit younger, the whole thing was just horrendous.
Ed added: “It multiplied the embarrassment of the whole thing. Dads are supposed to be embarrassing – I have massively overachieved.”
(Image: BBC)
Upon receiving the offer to dedicate several months of his life to dance, the former Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families nearly said no. But after some words of persuasion from his other half, he decided to give it a whirl.
He said: “I was against doing it, but Yvette was the person who said to do it. She said, ‘You’ve lost your seat, and you’ve lost your job. What else is there to do’? She said, ‘Politics is wild, go and do it’.”
(Image: BBC / Guy Levy)
The 56-year-old continued: “It definitely changes things. The idea of politicians not being human beings is a bit dangerous – it has always worried me a bit. People come up to me and say, ‘Are you Ed Balls?’ They say, ‘I used to really, really hate you, but I don’t any more.’ I know they mean it nicely.”
During an interview on Rob Beckett and Josh Widdicombe’s podcast, he opened up about his life of fame, and how it’s impacted his children.
In a candid conversation, he asserted: “Our eldest daughter put it incredibly powerfully when she went to secondary. I remember her saying, ‘When I walk across the playground, I want to be me first, not the daughter of cabinet ministers’.”
Ultimately, Ed’s busy life has left him with feelings of regret. He explained: “I don’t think you would ever speak to anybody who has done politics who wouldn’t say: ‘I look back and regret not spending more time with my kids’.”
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Source: Celebrities - dailystar.co.uk
