Shirley Ballas defends Strictly Come Dancing line-up following criticism
The head judge responded after some contestants were singled out for having previous dance training.
Shirley Ballas has defended the Strictly Come Dancing 2023 line-up after some people criticised certain contestants for having dance training.
Presenter Angela Scanlon and musical theatre star Layton Williams both have dance experience – the former trained with O'Shea Irish Dance Company, while the latter has appeared in stage shows Everybody's Talking About Jamie and Billy Elliot.
But Ballas has pointed out that this is not the same as already being a skilled dancer, especially when it comes to ballroom dancing.
By entering your details, you are agreeing to our terms and conditions and privacy policy. You can unsubscribe at any time.
"I think it's very unfair at this point to single out anybody because most children had a little bit of training," the head judge said to The Mirror.
"If somebody goes to stage school for singing and acting, there's always normally a little bit of dance included. It might not be their forte. It's nothing like learning ballroom dancing. It's a total discipline all of its own."
She also went so far as to say that even people who were already professional dancers in other disciplines might not necessarily be comfortable transitioning to ballroom dancing.
Read more:
- Strictly Come Dancing 2023 confirms Layton Williams as third contestant
- Strictly Come Dancing 2023 confirms Angela Scanlon for line-up
"You really have to learn to dance with a partner," she said. "That's four arms, four legs, two heads, two quarters... you've got to be intertwined and working together."
Scanlon and Williams are part of the 15-strong line-up for the upcoming Strictly season, with other contestants including Channel 4 News presenter Krishnan Guru-Murthy, former Love Island star Zara McDermott and legendary broadcaster Angela Rippon.
Meanwhile, Ballas will once again be joined on the judging panel by Craig Revel Horwood, Motsi Mabuse and Anton Du Beke.
Strictly Come Dancing will return to BBC One and BBC iPlayer this Autumn. Check out more of our Entertainment coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on.
Try Radio Times magazine today and get 12 issues for only £1 with delivery to your home – subscribe now. For more from the biggest stars in TV, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.
