Shirley Ballas has issued a major update after her son Mark Ballas and his family were caught up in the harrowing California wildfires.
The 38-year-old choreographer was forced to flee their West Coast home alongside his musician wife BC Jean, 37, and their 14-month-old son Banksi.
The Strictly Come Dancing head judge revealed that the family safely relocated to Palm Springs as the flames destroyed over 12,000 buildings and killed at least 25 people.
Shirley shared that the trio and their closest friends had to move due to the perilous air quality and are currently residing with their fellow Dancing with the Stars professionals.
In a conversation with BANG Showbiz on behalf of WhichBingo, the 64-year-old disclosed: “They’ve been evacuated. He and his best friend Derek Hough and Julianne Hough were all evacuated.
“So they’re in Palm Springs as we speak because of the air quality,” Shirley informed the outlet, adding: “They won’t let you pass into those areas anyway. So, we will wait now and see until they go home if their houses survived.”
The beloved Strictly Come Dancing judge isn’t the only British celebrity who has relatives impacted by the devastating wildfires that have ravaged Los Angeles County.
David Beckham, along with his spouse Victoria Beckham, formerly resided in LA with their brood of four: Brooklyn, 25, Romeo, 22, Cruz, 19, and Harper, 13.
However, these days, only Brooklyn, the eldest Beckham offspring, and his wife Nicola Peltz, 30, call the area home, and David confirmed they are safe, reports the Manchester Evening News.
In a candid reflection last December, Shirley expressed her gratitude for having her son Mark, whom she shares with ex-husband Corky Ballas, describing her romantic endeavors as consistently problematic.
After parting ways with her beau Danny Taylor, 51, in November 2024, Shirley opened up on Jamie Laing’s Great Company podcast: “I’ve just split with my boyfriend. My relationships have been a disaster, all the way along the line.
“But what I am truly grateful for is that I still have my mother, and that she lives with me, and I get these precious moments with her. Because my mother is the only thing that’s been a staple in my life. No friend, no marriage, no nothing.
“You know, all I keep saying at the end of the day is I’m blessed to have had my son, and without the journey I took, I wouldn’t have him, and then I wouldn’t have my grandson. So, it’s fate, if you want to, it’s directions that you choose,” Shirley concluded.
