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'Strictly' judge Shirley Ballas having breast implants removed over cancer fears

Dance Coach Dame Shirley Ballas poses for photographers on arrival at the 2019 BAFTA Television Awards in London, Sunday, May 12, 2019.(Photo by Grant Pollard/Invision/AP)
Shirley Ballas poses for photographers on arrival at the 2019 BAFTA Television Awards in London (Grant Pollard/Invision/AP)

Strictly Come Dancing’s Shirley Ballas is having her breast implants removed next month because she is worried about cancer.

The TV judge, 59, had the implants in 2002 because at the time she thought she “looked ugly”, but said she no longer wants them in her body.

The dancer’s mother and an aunt have both been diagnosed with cancer, and Ballas lost another relative to the disease.

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She told The Sun she had been looking into the op after a nurse told her during a mammogram that there was no guarantee that they could see behind the back of the implants.

Shirley Ballas arriving at the red carpet launch of Strictly Come Dancing 2019, held at BBC TV Centre in London, UK.
Shirley Ballas arriving at the red carpet launch of Strictly Come Dancing 2019, held at BBC TV Centre in London, UK.

“I’ve been to a new ­doctor and I’m scheduled for the operation on Tuesday, October 29,” she said.

“My doctor says I have recuperation of a week, but I want to do Strictly on the Saturday night.

“It’s not like I have to dance and do the cha cha cha or the samba.”

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Ballas said she may also have scar tissue removed when she goes under the knife.

“Assuming there is no cancer, we are debating whether to take out just the implants or the scar tissue as well,” she said.

“There are rumours that the scar ­tissues cause chronic fatigue which I have suffered with even over the last year.

“Usually I don’t get tired and I’m like an Energizer bunny.”

However, she said removing scar tissue could mean a bigger surgery and possible reconstruction.

“You’d have to maybe take fat out of your tummy to rebuild the breasts,” she said.

“Or you put smaller implants in. But I don’t want any implants in. I don’t want any foreign bodies in my body.”

Ballas, who had her implants replaced in 2012, said if she could go back and talk to herself when she was younger she would say: “Never get them done.”

“I did them because I had low self-esteem and no confidence,” she said.