‘Those scores are actually still quite good’: Shirley Ballas defends her low scoring on DWTS

Shirley Ballas has defended the low scores she handed out as a guest judge on Dancing with the Stars, insisting they were “from a good heart.”

The Strictly Come Dancing head judge, who has been on the BBC show since 2017 and also judged ABC’s new Dancing with the Stars: The Next Pro, gave out some high marks, but also awarded two couples a four. That’s the lowest score anyone has received at this stage of the competition in 35 seasons.

Tatyana Ali and her pro partner Jan Ravnik, and Julia Stiles and her pro partner Ezra Sosa, both got fours from Shirley, while fellow judges Carrie Ann Inaba and Derek Hough gave them sevens and Bruno Tonioli gave them eights. Shirley also gave Tyler Cameron and pro Sharna Burgess a five, while the rest of the panel all gave them sevens.

By week seven, after two months of non-stop rehearsals and live shows, a four is almost unheard of. Straight after the show, a reporter from ABC’s On the Red Carpet put it to Shirley, saying: “Shirley, with a big smile, you gave some of the worst scores we’ve ever seen in week seven!”

Shirley, who is also president of the Imperial Society of Teachers of Dancing, looked shocked, and replied: “Oh my goodness! Now, to me, those scores are actually still quite good because they’re not twos and threes!”

She went on: “Four, fives, and sixes to me is generally a good score. You’re on a good track. And then, when you get to sevens, eights, and nines, you’ve really mastered your craft.”

When the reporter pointed out that only “a couple” of twos have ever been given out in 35 seasons of the show, Shirley joked: “It’s a good job I’m not a full-time judge on this, then, isn’t it? Because I am still giving out threes on week seven on Strictly, but it’s acceptable over there (in the UK). I’ve never been a great person of fluff, which is, ‘You’re all great.’ I like people to get some knowledge.”

She added: “Even though I did struggle a little bit with the amount of time we had to speak, I wanted to embrace and give more knowledge, but I like to give them a few nuggets that they can use to move forward. And trust me, those fours are from a good heart, and they are a good score.”

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