Strictly's Shirley Ballas' husband refused to take her back after she left for another man

Strictly Come Dancing judge Shirley Ballas has revealed intimate details about her romantic past and how she 'eloped' with her second husband before desperately pleading with her first spouse to have her back.

Shirley wed Sammy Stopford, her former dancing partner, when she was merely 18 years old. However, the Strictly Come Dancing star disclosed that she had fled to America with her new dancing partner Corky Ballas, abandoning Sammy in the UK.

Just three months later, she was miserable and desperately asked him to reconcile, reports Birmingham Live.

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Speaking to chef James Martin on his ITV programme, Shirley explained: "I got to know Sammy Stopford and it was a meteoric rise at 17. I married Sammy at 18, we had five years together, we won everything. I was the youngest female to ever do that."

The dancer continued: "I ran off with Corky Ballas to America. I was there for three months, decided I had made a mistake, called Sammy and said, 'Can I come back?' and he said 'No'."

She remained with Corky and coached him "how to dance from scratch" before they proceeded to claim a dance championship.

Shirley subsequently wed Corky in 1985. Their sole child, professional ballroom dancer Mark Ballas, arrived the following year but the pair divorced in 2007.

Corky allegedly abandoned Shirley for former Strictly professional dancer Kristina Rihanoff.

Kristina notably dated Shirley's ex-husband for five years after the couple's divorce, though she has maintained she wasn't responsible for their marriage's collapse.

Kristina and Shirley have both asserted that they remain on amicable terms.

Shirley, when questioned about the possibility of Kristina returning to Strictly, has previously stated: "It would be absolutely fine. I have no issues with anybody being on the show at all."

Shirley has openly discussed her challenging 22-year marriage to Corky in her autobiography, where she disclosed: "He had multiple girlfriends, even when I moved to America. I gave up my life for that man."

She recounted his hurtful comments: "He'd say 'You're too fat. What's that mole on your chin? Your nose is crooked, you need a nose job. Your breasts are too small.'"