Strictly Come Dancing's Shirley Ballas revealed her fears of venturing out alone at night, particularly in light of the chilling incident involving TV favourite Holly Willoughby. In July, a security guard named Gavin Plumb was convicted for devising a sinister plan to kidnap, assault and murder the well-known television host, reports OK!.
The alarming revelation led to Holly being swiftly removed from her role on This Morning back in October 2023, just moments before she was set to appear live, after the police alerted the show's executives about the potential danger. Shirley, 63, previously confessed that the frightening event made her extra vigilant, and she now avoids solo outings after dark.
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Instagram/ @wyldemoon)Only a month earlier, the dance expert had shared her own unsettling experiences with online death threats that had her too frightened to step outside her home. 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 decided to step down from her long-standing position as the main presenter on This Morning after an impressive 14-year stint. She then issued a touching statement to her supporters, describing the departure as a "difficult goodbye" but one that was necessary "for me and my family."
Shirley has opened up about the terrifying extent of online abuse she's faced, leaving her frightened to even step outside her home. Speaking to Olivia Attwood in the ITV documentary Olivia Attwood vs The Trolls, Shirley shared the chilling details of receiving messages so violent and sexual in nature that they've had a profound 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 worry about those same strange people that write these kinds of 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? This whole experience has made me much more vigilant. I cannot say that I leave my front door unless I am on point. I never relax. It has changed my life completely I would say."
In a candid admission last year, Shirley disclosed that she had been forced to take her first-ever break from work due to the severe trolling during the Strictly season. Furthermore, earlier this year, she admitted that the relentless social media vitriol had led her to contemplate her future on the hit BBC show.
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