Strictly judge Shirley Ballas hits back at backlash over her ‘harsh’ treatment of contestants
Viewers Criticise Shirley’s Strictly Scores and Comments
Shirley Ballas has responded to criticism of her judging on Strictly Come Dancing after awarding two contestants just five points each during the Halloween special.
Speaking on Strictly: Lights Up, she addressed the backlash over the scores given to Tabby Stoecker and Jaime Winstone, which led some viewers to question whether her judging had become too severe.
Several viewers also raised concerns about consistency in her marking. One social media user compared the scores she gave to Graeme Hall, Tabby and Delta Goodrem, questioning the differences between them.
Others focused specifically on Tabby’s five-point score, while another viewer criticised Shirley’s judging on both Strictly and Dancing With The Stars.
One viewer said on X: “She was quite HARSH on Jamie and Tabby versus the male contestants I feel.”
Another wrote: “A five for Tabby? That’s harsh even by Shirley’s standards.”
Shirley Ballas Defends Her Strictly Come Dancing Judging
Presenter Abi Clarke raised the controversy directly with Shirley during the spin-off show, pointing out that some viewers felt her scores had been “harsher than usual”.
Shirley seemed taken aback by the suggestion, responding: “Really?”
The head judge went on to explain that she does not let scores from previous weeks influence how she evaluates a new performance. Instead, she believes every dance should be judged on what the contestants deliver at that particular moment.
She also stressed that dancers are expected to maintain the standards established from the start of the competition, rather than rely on the expectation of higher marks.
Addressing the debate over her decision to award five points, Shirley made her position clear.
She said: “Everything is according to what I see at that particular time without fear or favour. I don’t do fluff. I expect to see some of these standards that we set from the beginning. I just judge on what I see.
“For me, a five is a good score. Five is not a low score in my book.”
Shirley explained that she considers scores of five, six and seven to fall within the good range. Marks of eight and nine reflect a higher level of progress, while a 10 is reserved for a perfect performance.
Shirley Ballas Has Faced Backlash Over Previous Strictly Decisions
The latest criticism is not the first time Shirley has faced questions over her judging decisions on Strictly Come Dancing. The previous week, she was at the centre of another disagreement involving Jaime Winstone.
During the dance-off, Shirley voted to save Shaun Wright-Phillips, while Motsi Mabuse, Craig Revel Horwood and Anton Du Beke all favoured Jaime, resulting in Shaun’s elimination.
Her decision also attracted criticism from some viewers. However, that controversy centred on which contestant should remain in the competition, rather than the scores Shirley has been defending this time.
The head judge has previously opened up about how difficult the scrutiny surrounding her role on Strictly became. She revealed that she came close to quitting after her first year on the programme, having faced persistent criticism and intrusion since joining in 2017.
Her son, professional dancer Mark Ballas, encouraged her to remain on the show and continue using the platform to pursue the causes she cared about.
Source: Various
