Strictly Come Dancing judge Shirley Ballas has hit back at an “offensive” comment that was made about her relationship with Daniel Taylor.
There is a 13-year difference between the couple, and it turns out that Shirley really doesn’t like him being called her “toyboy”.
Strictly Come Dancing judge Shirley hits back
Strictly judge Shirley has revealed that she finds people calling Daniel her “toyboy” offensive.
The couple, who met in 2018 and went public with their relationship in 2019, have a 13-year age gap between them. Daniel is 48 and Shirley is 61.
If a man dates a younger girl, it’s fine; if a woman dates a younger man, they call him her toyboy.
Speaking to the Daily Mail at a party in Mayfair, Shirley slammed those who refer to Daniel as her “toyboy”.
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“If a man dates a younger girl, it’s absolutely fine; if a woman dates a younger man, they call him her toyboy,” she said.
“I find that offensive.”
She then continued, saying: “He is the most remarkable man and is close to 50. He’s getting there, and keeps saying to me: ‘Don’t you go pushing my age up.'”
Strictly Come Dancing star Shirley and Daniel to tie the knot?
Back in December, rumours were abound that Shirley and Daniel were going to be getting engaged this year.
It was reported at the time that Daniel had already bought a ring. Shirley was reportedly just waiting for him to pop the question.
A source spoke to The Sun at the time about the loved-up couple.
“Shirley and Danny are blissfully loved-up – almost irritatingly so!” they said.
“Shirley is quite traditional and definitely wants him to get down on one knee and ask for her mum’s blessing first. Neither of them are in any hurry, and they’re really happy taking things day by day.”
They continued, adding: “Shirley and Danny are both just happy in the knowledge they’ll marry one day. But it is very much a question of when not if.”
Shirley and Daniel’s relationship
Daniel and Shirley met back in 2018 during rehearsals for Jack and the Beanstalk at the Liverpool Empire.
At first, they were friends, however, it didn’t take long for a romance to blossom. In 2019, the couple went public with their relationship.
During lockdown in 2020, the couple spent time together – something Shirley believes brought them closer together.
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Speaking to The Sun, she said: “We spent time together in lockdown, and that was like ten years’ work, but it made us stronger; if you came through lockdown, you can come through anything.”
She continued, joking: “If I married him, I think I would be Shirley Ballas-Taylor – it sounds a bit like Elizabeth Taylor, and I could collect husbands like she did.”
Shirley has been married twice before. She was with her first husband, Sammy Stopford for four years. They then divorced in 1984.
Then in 1985 she married Corky Ballas, with whom she had one son. They split in 2007 after 22 years of marriage.
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