STRICTLY JUDGES FACE CONTRACT REVIEW AFTER 2026 SERIES

Shirley Ballas may leave the Strictly Come Dancing judging panel after the 2026 series, according to an unnamed person described as an insider. The person said contracts for Ballas, Motsi Mabuse, Craig Revel Horwood and Anton Du Beke expire at the end of the series. All four judges would then need to agree new terms with the BBC to return, according to the account. Asked who was most likely to leave, the person said: “The most likely is Shirley.”

Ballas joined Strictly Come Dancing in 2017, following Len Goodman’s departure. She took over as head judge on the BBC programme. Goodman has since died. Ballas has also appeared on Dancing With the Stars, a separate dance competition. The insider said Ballas has grandchildren she wants to see more often.

The person said the judges’ existing contracts secured the return of all four for the 2026 series. “They are under contract, so that was a guarantee for the bosses,” the insider said. Once those agreements expire, any of the judges could choose to leave, the person added. The insider said the BBC would have to renegotiate their contracts and that judges might decline to return if they did not accept the terms offered.