When you’re the Head Judge on the biggest dancing show in the UK, sometimes the public’s comments can get you down.
When Shirley Ballas took over the role from previous Strictly Come Dancing judge Len Goodman, she revealed to the Daily Mail that she was finding the role tough to deal with, especially when Aston Merrygold was sent home over fellow popstar Mollie King.
She said: “I judge with no fear or favour, but it has been a very tough week and I really don’t like to see somebody go home. But I entirely stand by my decision and that will never change.”
But in a new chat with podcast, Is It Just Me, Shirley has revealed that even though she is relatively new to social media, she has found her own way to deal with trolls.
‘When I started, somebody said ‘don’t read it because people are mean,’ and we’ve had some trolling, but that’s like saying to a child ‘Don’t put your finger in the light socket’, so I was curious!”
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She went on, “I adopted a new thing for myself, and some of the things that people called me – I didn’t take personally. I just tried to step back and think ‘where are they in their life?’
So now I write a very nice message putting in the bad line that they’ve said, and I give them a second chance and a third chance and if they continue to be mean then I block them.
But you know what? There have been so many out there that have said ‘Oh maybe I’ve misjudged you?’ and from that we’ll start a little dialogue.
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“I think if people make an effort to do a post then the least you can do, if you’ve got time, is respond.”
The 57-year-old professional dancer, has now returned home to California to spend Christmas with her family, after ex-Holby City star, Joe McFadden was crowned winner of 2017’s series.