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‘I Was In The Darkest Time Of My Life’: Shirley Ballas Reveals It Was ‘Very Hard’ Going Through Menopause As She Runs New Campaign
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Shirley Ballas has spoken candidly about her menopausal journey as she fronted a new campaign for QVC for World Menopause Month.
The professional dancer turned Strictly Come Dancing judge, 62, revealed for QVC’s Menopause your way that she was going through the ‘darkest time of her life’ thanks to the condition.
Shirley said she felt she received “no support” during the process, which is a natural part of aging, and said she is speaking out to help end the stigma.
‘I was in the darkest time of my life’: Shirley Ballas revealed this week that going through menopause was ‘very hard’ while fronting a new campaign for QVC
“Honestly, I never thought about menopause. You’re just out of step. But it’s not just a list of symptoms… I just didn’t have support,” Shirley said in a clip for the campaign.
“My son could see that I was in the darkest time of my life. He was the first person to sit down and say, “Tell me what’s going on” and, I must say, that was life-changing.”
She added that she wanted to share her journey to help others because the topic is “taboo.”
Helping others: Shirley said she felt she had “no support” during the process, which is a natural part of aging, and said she is speaking out to help end the stigma
Shirley added that her experience of menopause “will stay with her for the rest of her life.”
“My experience during menopause was an emotional one and something that will stay with me for the rest of my life — it was a very difficult time,” she explained.
‘I couldn’t control my body; it controlled me. It’s such a huge milestone and yet so little talked about.’
According to hello magazineShirley started going through menopause 15 years ago at age 47.
“My son could see that I was in the darkest time of my life. He was the first person to sit down and say, “Tell me what’s going on” and, I must say, that was life-changing.”
“From night sweats to daytime sweats, to dry skin, nails and hair, I felt moody and completely off,” she told the publication this week.
“I didn’t know it was menopause. I just thought maybe it was the flu – to be honest, I didn’t know what age to expect menopause, nobody talked about it. I felt totally ill-prepared,” she added.
It comes just months after she suffered a health scare and had to undergo a battery of tests on all her organs after fans noticed a lump in her armpit last year.
Health scare: It comes just months after she suffered a health scare and had to undergo a battery of tests on all her organs after fans noticed a lump in her armpit last year
Medical tests also revealed a shadow on her kidney, but the doctor gave her all the clarity.
Speaking to Richard Madeley and Susanna Reid about her recent health trip while performing on Good Morning Britain in November, Shirley shared how she initially ignored fan comments about her alarm, but sought help from her GP after more concerned reports came in.
She said, “It’s been the past two weeks — it’s been like a whirlwind with everything else I’ve done.
“I did a Paso Doble move, raised my right arm and a few people contacted me and I kind of ignored and then there were about 11 people contacting me, so I thought, no, I better do going to the doctor.’