Strictly’s Shirley Ballas on air just before finding out Len Goodman died

Strictly’s chief judge Shirley Ballas appeared on Good Morning Britain on Monday to talk about returning to the show.

Her performance came just minutes before she heard the sad news that the show’s original head judge, Len Goodman, had sadly passed away.

The news of his death from bone cancer at the age of 78 shocked his legions of fans, who couldn’t shake the fact that he was ill.

Len was head judge on the much-loved BBC dance show from 2004-2016, with Shirley, 62, taking over the role a year later.

Shirley, who appeared on GMB, had said she would always come back to the show, despite rumors of a confrontation with bosses over a pay raise.

She said, “You have to make choices and decisions. It took me a minute after trolling last year.

“People would write things. But this year I have a man who manages both my social media and my son. I am optimistic and hopeful. But this year it will be filtered before it gets to me.”

Shirley also reviewed her book Murder On The Dancefloor, saying, “When I wrote my autobiography, there were things I couldn’t take in.

“90% is fiction that I saw or was a part of.

“My mom read it and rewrote the ending. because she wanted it to be more powerful. It’s fiction, but 90% of it is true.’

During the interview, Shirley insisted she wouldn’t argue with bosses about pay.

She said: ‘There was no argument with the BBC over pay. We are in a cost of living crisis. It’s absolutely not true. There’s no raise, there’s no fighting.

“We are vigilant about the nurses and the crisis in the cost of living. I don’t know where those leaks come from.’

It was revealed earlier this week that the judges of Strictly Come Dancing have reportedly backed out amid their pay dispute with BBC bosses.

Shirley, Craig Revel Horwood, Motsi Mabuse and Anton Du Beke were reportedly seeking an 11 per cent salary increase ahead of the new season of the BBC dance competition show.

But according to The sun they accepted an offer of between 3 and 5 percent.

Chief Judge Shirley is reportedly already earning £500,000, Motsi and Craig are raking in £200,000, while Anton is reportedly earning £180,000.

A source told the publication: “There was a real stalemate between the judges and the Beeb over this issue, with neither side willing to concede for weeks.

Fortunately, they have reached this resolution and can now breathe a sigh of relief and look forward to the new series.

“The show just felt that curing a cost-of-living crisis, and at a time when the license fee has been frozen, they couldn’t justify an 11 percent increase.”

The insider added that those involved with the show were beginning to feel that the pay line this fall was becoming a distraction from the upcoming 21st series.