Shirley Ballas “nearly died” after she choked on a fish bone moments earlier than the Strictly Come Dancing Blackpool particular.
The 65-year-old choose on the BBC Latin and Ballroom dance present struggled to breathe for “20 minutes” backstage on the seaside city’s Tower Ballroom on Saturday (22.11.25) evening.
Shirley’s make-up artist Jane Burstow got here to her rescue and dislodged the fish bone by performing the Heimlich manoeuvre, with the Queen of Latin saying the present would have been a “choose down” if it was not for Jane.
Recalling the “terrifying” second to followers on Instagram, Shirley – who judges on Strictly Come Dancing with Craig Revel Horwood, 60, Motsi Mabuse, 44, and 59 12 months previous Anton Du Beke – stated: “I choked on a fish bone. It bought lodged in my throat, and my fantastic Jane, who has been with me for 9 years, did the Heimlich manoeuvre, and we bought the bone out. However for 20 minutes there, it was lodged and I couldn’t breathe so it was terrifying.
“We’d have been a choose down tonight if it wasn’t for her …
“Gratitude to Jane as a result of I panicked. I actually thought that was it, the tip, amen.”
Shirley is now again in London, and she or he up to date her followers on how she is feeling.
The star stated: “I’m a bit hoarse, however all is nice.”
In one other Instagram publish, she added: “Virtually didn’t make it to the desk final evening.”
Following the horror ordeal, Shirley has now vowed to study the Heimlich manoeuvre – which includes somebody performing stomach thrusts to dislodge an object that could be caught in somebody’s airways – in case she wants to make use of it sooner or later.
She stated: “I’m going to check now in case I ever come throughout anyone who wants my assist.”
The incident occurred after Shirley stated Strictly Come Dancing will go on “lengthy after I’m gone” amid requires it to be paused.
The star – who changed the late Len Goodman as Head Decide on the programme in 2017 – advised The Solar on Sunday newspaper: “No person is larger than Strictly Come Dancing.
“Not me, not any presenters, not any dancers – that present belongs to the individuals.
“Once I got here on the present in 2017, no person knew me, and it was, ‘Oh, will it fail? Will it’s this? Will it’s that?’
“It carried on ticking and it’ll keep it up ticking lengthy after I’m gone and kicked my clogs.”
