Shirley Ballas, the 66-year-old head judge of Strictly Come Dancing, is reportedly growing close to 36-year-old Italian dancer Giuseppe Nonnis. The pair were recently photographed together on a dog walk, appearing comfortable in each other's company. Sources observed them sharing a coffee, with Nonnis seen with his arm around Ballas.
This reported new connection comes after Ballas expressed a loss of hope in finding love due to a series of past relationships she described as "disaster." She had been single since splitting from her fiancé Danny Taylor, 53, in 2024 after a six-year relationship. Prior to Taylor, Ballas was married twice to professional dancers Sammy Stopford and Corky Ballas.
Ballas and Nonnis have interacted on social media, with Ballas leaving supportive comments on his posts. They also previously danced together at the Blackpool Dance Festival in May.
In a podcast appearance last year, Ballas shared her feelings about relationships, stating, "Every relationship has ended up being a disaster. I'm obsessed with what I am and with what I do. So it's not just a job for me. I'm married to it. That's probably why I don't have a relationship."
She further elaborated on her past relationship with Danny Taylor, telling The Times that his tendency to "disappear" triggered painful memories of her brother's death by suicide. Ballas stated that Taylor had done "quite unforgivable things," leading her to end the engagement. She expressed a desire to be alone rather than constantly worrying about someone else, and indicated she had no intention of labeling future relationships.
Ballas's romantic history includes a first engagement at age 16 to Nigel Tiffany. Her first marriage was to Sammy Stopford, lasting four years in the 1980s. She then married Corky Ballas in 1985; they welcomed their son Mark the following year and were together until their split in 2007. Ballas joined Strictly Come Dancing as head judge in 2017.