Shirley Ballas has opened up about her mother Audrey’s battle with lung condition, Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), heartbreakingly describing it as a ‘slow death’.
The Strictly judge, 65, lives with her mum, 88, and juggles her TV commitments with caring for Audrey, whose condition she revealed was sadly ‘getting worse’.
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) describes a group of lung conditions that cause the airways to narrow and become inflamed. This makes it harder to move air in and out as you breathe.
She said: ‘It’s a slow digression, it’s a slow death, my mum smoked the majority of her life. The only time she didn’t was when my brother died. Under those stressful conditions she stopped, but nobody will stop her smoking now’
Shirley’s brother David died by suicide aged 44 in 2003 following a battle with depression and grief saw Audrey give up for 18-months before going back to smoking.
Shirley explained that her mum was coughing, choking and wheezing more as the condition progressed before sadly concluding that Audrey would ‘never get better’.
Shirley Ballas has opened up about her mother Audrey’s battle with lung condition, Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), heartbreakingly describing it as a ‘slow death’
She told The Mirror: ‘She’s nearly 90, she’s going to have a whisky and a smoke and she knows what comes with it. I tell her this is what to expect, this is what’s coming if you carry on… but it’s so addictive.’
Shirley discussed the realities of caring for her mum, who is forced to isolate to avoid getting an infection and everything around her needs to be disinfected.
‘If she gets a cold it can turn into pneumonia. It’s a 24/7 worry. People don’t have a clue what it takes even to care for someone with COPD’.
Earlier this week Strictly Come Dancing bosses have confirmed the professional dancers that will be returning for the new series, after a string of stars were axed in a brutal cast cull.
In recent months Nadiya Bychkova, Karen Hauer, 43, Michelle Tsiakkas, 30, Luba Mushtuk, 36, and Gorka Marquez, 35, have all been given the boot.
But the dancers that will be back on the dancefloor later this year have now been announced, and they include Dianne Buswell, who competed on the show last year while pregnant with her first child, and gave birth to son Bowden in March.
Amy Dowden will also be back on the show, after her stint on last year’s run came to an early end, when she and Thomas Skinner were the first pair to be eliminated.
The Strictly judge, 65, lives with her mum, 88, and juggles her TV commitments with caring for Audrey, whose condition she revealed was sadly ‘getting worse’
Also set to return are: Julian Caillon, Katya Jones, Neil Jones, Nikita Kuzmin, Jowita Przystał, Johannes Radebe, Aljaž Škorjanec, Alexis Warr, Kai Widdrington, Nancy Xu, Lauren Oakley and Vito Coppola.
Bosses also revealed that there will be brand new professional dancers joining the line-up in 2026, while judges Craig Revel Horwood, Motsi Mabuse, Anton Du Beke and Head Judge Shirley are also set to return.
However, they have still not secured new hosts following Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman’s departure, and it’s a race against time with just four months to go before the 24th series is due to kick off.
Last week, Gorka confirmed his permanent departure from Strictly Come Dancing – putting an end to ongoing uncertainty regarding his future on the show.
The Spanish ballroom professional is the latest high-profile name to be leaving the much-loved programme amid this year’s bloodbath as producers make sweeping cast changes ahead of its 24th series later this year.
Taking to Instagram on Tuesday, he wrote: ‘After last year’s decision to step down as a full-time professional due to scheduling conflicts between Strictly and Dancing With The Stars Spain, I’ve decided that now is the time to hang up my dance shoes and say goodbye to Strictly Come Dancing.
‘I will always be incredibly grateful to Strictly and the BBC for everything.
‘Being part of the show has been so much more than just a professional opportunity—over the past 10 years, it allowed me to build a career from my passion, find love, start a family, and make lifelong friends. For that, I will forever be thankful.
‘Although I’m stepping away from the dance floor, I can’t wait to dance on the Strictly Pro Tour starting this week and continue being part of this incredible family.
‘Now it’s time to take a step back, enjoy the sidelines… and hopefully hold up a few paddles and give out some tens along the way.
‘Thank you to everyone who has supported me and shared their love throughout this incredible journey. Keep dancing.’
