BBC Strictly’s Shirley Ballas ‘fearful’ to go out alone at night after Holly Willoughby scare

Shirley Ballas of Strictly Come Dancing expressed her concerns about going out alone at night, especially in light of Holly Willoughby’s harrowing incident. According to OK!, a security guard named Gavin Plumb was found guilty in July of planning a heinous plot to kidnap, assault, and murder the well-known television host.

After the police alerted the show’s executives about the potential danger, Holly was immediately kicked out of her role on This Morning in October 2023, just before she was scheduled to appear live. Shirley, 63, previously confessed that the frightening event made her extra vigilant, and she now avoids solo outings after dark.

The dance instructor had already shared her own unsettling experiences with online death threats, which caused her to be too afraid to leave her house, just one month prior. In a candid chat with Best magazine, Shirley said: “That was more last year and I’m in a better place now. I am still cautious, particularly with what’s just happened to Holly Willoughby, which is awful. I feel for her. I don’t go out on my own late at night”.

Following the ordeal, Holly made the decision to leave her acclaimed 14-year tenure as the main presenter on This Morning. She then addressed her supporters in a heartfelt statement, describing the departure as a “difficult goodbye” but “needs to be done for me and my family.”

Shirley is terrified to even step outside her home because she has revealed the terrifying level of online abuse she has experienced. In her interview with Olivia Attwood for the ITV documentary Olivia Attwood vs. The Trolls, Shirley described the eerie details of receiving messages that are so violent and sexual in nature that they have had a significant impact on her life.

She said: “I’ve had people draw coffins with me in it with somebody with a spade that said, ‘ Die you b***h. ‘” The dance expert also expressed her constant fear, saying: “I am talking about being in public. You’re concerned about the same strange people who write these messages. Are they lurking in dark corners? Are they hiding behind walls when you go somewhere”? Shirley continued to reveal the psychological toll it’s taken on her: “Sometimes at night, I lie there and wonder, Are they suffering? Are they lonely? Is it funny to them? I’ve become much more vigilant as a result of this entire experience. Without being on point, I can’t say that I leave my front door. I never relax. I would say that it completely altered my life.

Shirley admitted in a recent interview that the severe bullying during the Strictly season had forced her to take her first-ever break from work. Additionally, she acknowledged earlier this year that the constant booboozing from social media had made her think about starring in the popular BBC program.

Source: Mirror