At the age of 15, Ballas moved to Shipley, West Yorkshire to live with the family of new partner, British Ballroom Champion, Nigel Tiffany, which she described as "a difficult time".[1] Two years later, she moved with Tiffany to London, where their partnership ended after dance teacher Nina Hunt persuaded her to audition to partner with dancer Sammy Stopford.[1] The two married when Ballas was 18, with the relationship ending five years later.[1] As dance partners, their best result was winning Professional Latin at Blackpool Dance Festival in 1983.[5]
In 1985, she married American ballroom dancer Corky Ballas.[1] Together their best results were winning Professional Latin at Blackpool Dance Festival in 1995[6] and 1996[7] The pair moved to Houston, Texas to compete in the US. Their only child, professional ballroom dancer Mark Ballas, was born in 1986.[1] The couple divorced in 2007.[8][9]
Ballas stopped competing in dance competitions in 1996, becoming a dance coach and judge for ballroom and Latin American competitions.[10]
In December 2023, Ballas was the guest for BBC Radio 4's Desert Island Discs, where her choices included "Smells Like Teen Spirit" by Nirvana, "Moon River" by Frank Sinatra, "Highs and Lows" by Alexander Jean.[11]
Television
Ballas has appeared on Dancing with the Stars, giving master classes and commentating on the show.[12]
Following a selection process which attracted many candidates, on 9 May 2017, she was officially announced as the replacement for Len Goodman as head judge of Strictly Come Dancing. She made her first appearance on the panel four months later - at the launch show of series 15 on 9 September that year.[13]
In January 2024, Ballas participated in the fifth series of The Masked Singer UK as the character "Rat". She was eliminated and unmasked in the third episode.[14]
