Strictly Come Dancing head judge Shirley Ballas has said her ‘toyboy days are behind me’ following the end of her relationship with ex-fiancé Danny Taylor
Shirley Ballas has declared her days of dating younger men are firmly behind her after her relationship with former fiancé Danny Taylor came to an end.
The 64-year-old Strictly Come Dancing head judge revealed in November that she and Danny – 13 years her junior – had called time on their six-year romance, with Shirley confessing she turned a blind eye to numerous “red flags” during their time together.
Speaking to The Mirror, she said: “There was no question about how much I loved that man. And he came into my life at a point when I really, really needed it and he was such a caring person. But what’s the nicest way to say this? Along the line, there were red flags that I chose to ignore, but it just got to a point where the relationship was becoming too difficult for me in many ways.”
The dance expert – who has penned a memoir titled Best Foot Forward – revealed she showered Danny with extravagant presents, “thinking that’s how I should show him I loved him”.
Consequently, he enjoyed “the best of the best” including high-end fashion, luxurious getaways, and a motor.
Although Shirley and Danny have swapped a few text messages since their final evening together, she remains desperate for a face-to-face meeting to gain proper closure.
She explained: “We still haven’t seen each other face to face since that night, which I’ve asked for many times. I’m a person who needs closure, and it’s just never closed. I always think it’s nice to sit in a room, because when people write text messages, you don’t really know the tone.”
Following the breakdown of their relationship, Shirley remains uncertain whether she’ll ever want to pursue romance again. She stated: “I don’t think I’ll ever have another relationship, but if I did, it would have to be with somebody that was much more calm and saw us growing in the same direction. But that doesn’t mean that those six years I had with Danny, I didn’t adore him. I just didn’t really have a choice.
“I think my ‘toyboy’ days are behind me. I reckon anything from 55 to 70 if they’re fit.”
