Strictly’s Shirley Ballas was ‘crushed’ over family separation

Shirley Ballas, 62, has just one son, Mark Ballas, 36, who is currently ripping up the dance floor in the USA on Dancing With The Stars. The family had been steadily dealing with the long distance, but last year when a Christmas together seemed more and more unlikely, the Strictly judge felt ‘crushed’. Shirley shared an impromptu emotional moment with her Instagram followers in the lead-up to Christmas last year. At the time, the Queen of Latin was starring in a pantomime of Snow White and the Seven Dwarves in Tunbridge Wells shortly after the 2021 series of Strictly ended. While sitting backstage, she candidly revealed the heartbreak she had been dealing with personally as Covid rules continued to fluctuate. She captioned the moving clip: ‘A mothers emotional day. READ MORE: Amanda Holden, 51, goes braless as she channels inner hippy braving the cold in mini skirt Shirley didn’t see her son Mark for almost three years due to Covid and travel restrictions (Image: GETTY/INSTAGRAM) Shirley and her son Mark have both become stars in the dancing world (Image: GETTY) Shirley heartbreakingly captioned this photo ‘a hug I took for granted’ (Image: INSTAGRAM) Shirley was so excited to see her son, she got to the airport a day early by mistake (Image: INSTAGRAM)’I’m a little crushed today to say the least, always strong and upbeat for others but with the last few years we have all had and now the new variant it will take massive strength to overcome my feelings. ‘But today I’ll go with the emotions and let them out, and hoping for all my friends out there you will soon be reunited with your loved ones at home and abroad.’Along with the video, she posted a photo of her and Mark, which she emotionally noted was ‘a hug I took for granted’.In the clip Shirley admitted that she knew she was not alone in this predicament as many others were unsure if they would be able to see their family members again. DONT MISS: Geena Davis reflects on ‘devastating’ moment Bill Murray pulled down her dress on live TVPiers Morgan slams ‘virtue-signalling little twerp’ Daniel Radcliffe amid JK Rowling rowPhillip Schofield shares concern over Holly Willoughby injury: ‘Not doing well’She also opened space in her comments, encouraging fans and followers to share stories of their own loved ones and their ‘plans for Christmas’, adding: ‘I will do my very best not to cry.’Months later, once lockdown restrictions globally had receded, Shirley at last was able to make plans to see Mark and his wife BC Jean. However, Shirley was so excited she went to the airport a day early by mistake. She laughed about the incident on Instagram saying: ‘I guess I just got soooo excited to go see my son and his wife and all my friends and I didn’t read my ticket. Three years can you believe it.