Shirley Ballas wants to see a royal on Strictly and has sights set on Camilla

Shirley Ballas has said she wants to see a royal on Strictly Come Dancing and thinks Camilla would be great.

The dancer, who is head judge on the BBC ballroom contest, said she enjoyed watching Zara Phillips' husband Mike Tindall in the I’m A Celebrity…Get Me Out Of Here! jungle last year and thinks it would be brilliant to see a member of the family on the dancefloor next.

“I am never going to give up on the hope that we have a Royal Family member,” she said on This Morning.

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Host Alison Hammond asked Ballas if she thought one of the monarchy would ever sign up for the show one day, and she replied: “I hope so, I hope so.”

“Love Camilla, I know she loves the show,” Ballas went on.

“She told me personally, she watches it.”

“She’s good fun, I believe she could do a little Cha Cha Cha,” she added.

The TV star also shared her thoughts on the line-up for this year’s contest, which includes Les Dennis, Krishnan Guru-Murthy, Amanda Abbington, Layton Williams, Bobby Brazier and Angela Rippon.

She said the list of contestants was “fantastic” and that she was a big fan of Rippon, who hosted Come Dancing, the show that triggered Strictly.

“I have followed her my whole career,” she said.

“She is going to be giving you all a run for your money, I’m telling you!” she added.

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Strictly returns to our screens soon, with Ballas joined on the panel by fellow judges Motsi Mabuse, Craig Revel Horwood and Anton Du Beke.

Watch: Shirley Ballas discusses doing 'terrifying' skyathlon in honour of her late brother