When she signed up to Celebrity Bear Hunt, Shirley Ballas knew she'd have to conquer her phobias. However, there was one fear she never thought she'd overcome: being alone.
Strictly judge Shirley, 64, who recently split from former fiancé Danny Taylor, describes herself as “co-dependent” and admits she's always been frightened of being by herself.
“I've always been nervous of my own company,” Shirley tells OK!. “I'm co-dependent on my mum and my kids and stuff, so I kind of learnt it's OK to be on your own.”
Shirley, who announced her split from Danny in November last year and labelled her love life as a “disaster”, flew to Costa Rica to film the Netflix show alongside celebrities including Danny Cipriani, Lottie Moss and Boris Becker. She learnt all sorts of survival skills from Bear Grylls, but she thinks that learning to be by herself is the most valuable.
“I've never really lived alone,” explains Shirley. “I don't like that. But now I quite like to go to my room and to have my space and do my thing, and I'm learning to like my own company. It's taken many years.”
Love splits are always hard, but as well as her TV career, Shirley is throwing herself into her greatest job yet - being a grandma to 14-month-old Banksi Wylde. “I've just come home from seeing him,” says Shirley, a huge smile lighting up her face. “He's my newboyfriend. That little boy is 14 months old and he's the love of my life.”
This story is from the February 03, 2025 edition of OK! UK.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the February 03, 2025 edition of OK! UK.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
BABY JOY: I honestly think Tom must have brought Will to me'
Kelsey Parker and her partner Will Lindsay reveal their pregnancy
REST IN PEACE: 'Linda was just a force of nature and I've been in awe of her'
TV star Coleen Nolan pays tribute to her brave and beloved sister Linda who recently passed away
THE ROYAL WEEK
There were trips to Scotland and South Africa for the royal family, along with visits to charities, plus a cuddle with a puppy
DIFFERENT STROKES: After miscarriage, I fell out of love with my body'
Olympic swimmer Rebecca Adlington tells OK! about accepting her losses, her two beautiful children and getting to a better place
BROOK HERE! 'I'm not trying to be anything other than I am'
Model and presenter Kelly Brook and her husband Jeremy have moved back to London to start a new chapter. Here, she tells us about staying trim, not having kids and her bucket-list TV project
IN MOTHER MODE: Felicity's amused and amusing - with a little bit of cattiness'
Actress Dame Joanna Lumley returns to our screens as snobbish grandmother Felicity alongside Lucy Punch as acerbic Amanda in Motherland spin-off Amandaland
BEST OF THE ALGARVE
Can't decide between the luxe resorts west of Faro and the pretty towns and sandy islands to the east? Here's an itinerary that combines both
JUNGLE QUEEN: 'I prefer a natural look'
I'm A Celebrity runner-up Coleen Rooney reveals the health and beauty must-haves that keep her looking and feeling her best as a busy mum-of-four
TAKING THE LEAD: 'My animalistic instinct is more golden retriever'
Actress Amy Adams on motherhood and connecting to her wild side for a movie that should give us all paws for thought