Strictly Glamour At Sea

Shirley Ballas may come under fresh scrutiny at the BBC after taking part in a paid dance-themed cruise event that guests reportedly felt was strongly reminiscent of Strictly Come Dancing.

The 65-year-old Strictly head judge appeared on a seven-day MSC Cruises trip from Southampton to Norway aboard the Virtuosa. The voyage left on May 9 and included stops in Stavanger and Kristiansand. Promotional material linked the holiday to Ballas’s BBC profile and promised passengers a taste of “Strictly glamour” at sea.

During the trip, Ballas fronted a dance contest for around 200 guests. She judged performances, gave feedback on timing and footwork, and used scoring paddles similar to those seen on Strictly. She was also reportedly brought on stage more than once to the show’s well-known theme tune, which The Mail on Sunday understands had not been cleared or licensed by the BBC.

The cruise programme also included a dance masterclass, a meet-and-greet, and a Q&A in which Ballas discussed her Strictly experience. At one point, she wore a diamante outfit that she told guests had been made for the programme. She also compared one class to the rehearsal process celebrities follow before their Saturday night routines.

BBC rules state that commercial work involving licence fee-funded talent must not copy or appear to trade on BBC content, including programme formats, editorial details or branding. Presenters and performers are also expected to declare commercial interests linked to shows they work on.

One passenger said: “It was like watching an episode of Strictly, there were so many similarities.”

The situation has drawn comparisons with Nick Knowles, who was temporarily removed from DIY SOS duties in 2021 after appearing in a Shreddies advert dressed as a builder. BBC bosses later judged that appearance to have breached his contract.

Ballas is expected to return to Strictly this autumn alongside Craig Revel Horwood, Anton Du Beke and Motsi Mabuse. The show’s identity is also closely associated with Tess Daly, Claudia Winkleman, and former judges Len Goodman and Bruno Tonioli. The next series is the last covered by Ballas’s current three-year deal.

A BBC spokesperson said the corporation has clear rules on outside commercial activity and regularly reminds talent of those obligations.