Strictly Come Dancing star Shirley Ballas told the Mirror her ex fiancé Danny Taylor vanished one night, causing her to end their romance as he’s now moved on with a new woman
Strictly Come Dancing head judge Shirley Ballas’ ex fiancé Danny Taylor has thanked his new partner for her support following his heartbreak. The ballroom dancer, 64, dated Danny, 52, for six years before their split.
She confirmed their split last year as she admitted she was grateful to have the love and support of her mother Audrey and her son Mark Ballas.
Shirley met Danny, who was 13 years her junior, while doing panto together. The pair fell in love and were together for six years – even getting engaged, before Danny went missing. Danny later showed up as if nothing had happened, which caused Shirley to decide to end her romance. Now, her ex Danny has praised his new partner Rachel Jones, 40, for helping him through “murky waters”.
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He shared a series of photos of Rachel as he gushed: “Happiest of birthdays to this absolute corker! A kind, caring, hilarious powerhouse — and fabulous mum to two smashing boys — who, over the last year, has helped keep me afloat through some of the hardest and most distressing times I can remember.
“Keep the laughs coming! Big love, Normster xxx.” Danny publicly confirmed his romance with Rachel when he shared a photo of them together on holiday in June.
His new love came just seven months after he “vanished,” leaving Shirley devastated on her 64th birthday. She had received a text from one of Danny’s relatives expressing concern that he’d gone missing.
Shirley was engulfed by the harrowing thoughts of her brother David who had tragically taken his own life, in 2003, aged 44. The Strictly star frantically tried to hunt Danny down and at 2am she noticed her messages to him were being read.
Her relief turned to anger as Danny reappeared the next day and carried on as if nothing had happened. It was clear she wouldn’t have him in her life anymore as she told the Mirror: “I will never forget that day until the day I die.
“I remember looking across in the middle of the night and I saw my mother was just so upset, reliving all of her trauma. I just thought ‘this can’t go on’. Not just for my sake, but my mum too.”
“I still loved him but I thought this is something I can’t continue to be a part of,” Shirley told us. “It’s all very sad.” The pair met in 2018 when they did panto together.
They fell in love fast, with the pair getting engaged in 2021 and Shirley had even got wedding rings. “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,” she explained. “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.” Shirley and Danny haven’t seen each other since that night.
Before her romance with Danny, Shirley was engaged to her former dance partner Nigel Tiffany when she was 16 and later married another ballroom partner Sammy Stopford at 18.
The marriage lasted four years and she went on to wed Corky Ballas in 1985 and they welcomed son Mark together, before splitting in 2007.
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