Shirley Ballas “fell in love” with Boris Becker making ‘Celebrity Bear Hunt’.
The ‘Strictly Come Dancing’ judge hinted there was some diva-like behaviour amongst some of the contestants on the tough survival show, but she insisted the former tennis player wasn’t one of them and, as the oldest members of camp, they forged a strong bond.
She told Radio Times magazine: “I’m that kid from a housing estate. I can just fit in. I don’t need you to look after me – I’m not an old lady yet. And I didn’t go in there with any airs and graces. You know, I’m not that type of person.
“We had a few of them, but I wasn’t that person.”
Of Boris, she added: “We were like Mum and Dad for the group. I fell in love with that man. Just a lovely human being.”
And the 64-year-old star found that being older, she had many skills that were “important” to getting through the challenges.
She explained: “Working things out, thinking and sometimes taking your time a little bit was important. Staying focused on the job, not being impulsive or getting sidetracked or chatting.
“I like to be told what to do. I’m always on time. I’m orderly. I’m organised. On this I didn’t miss one deadline. [Another contestant] Big Zuu was the chef and I was the bottle-washer and kept the kitchen clean.”
And Shirley utilised the skills dancing has taught her to figure out the tasks.
She said: “Every single task I did was like a piece of art or a piece of choreography. If it’s a bridge that’s got slats missing, do I do a jump over it? Which is the best angle to go at it? How can I do that gracefully? Everything I did, I stayed focused.”
