October 9th 2023.
Shirley Ballas, the head judge of Strictly Come Dancing, has spoken out about how the alleged kidnap and murder plot against This Morning presenter Holly Willoughby has impacted her. Taking extra precautions, the 63-year-old dance star has said that she now "travels everywhere with caution".
Gavin Plumb, 36, has been arrested and charged with soliciting a man named David Nelson to commit murder, and incitement to commit kidnap between October 2 and 5 in Harlow, Essex. He is currently in custody and awaiting a hearing on November 3, while Holly, 42, has round-the-clock protection from both her ITV colleagues and police.
The former Love Island star, Olivia Attwood, has also been victim to trolling and Shirley admitted that she too has had to take extra steps when it comes to her safety. She explained to Daily Star: “The news about Holly has made me a little bit nervous. Let’s just say, I travel everywhere with caution. I’m not free as a bird like I used to be. I’m always a little bit cautious about where I’m going, especially if I’m out on my own."
The Ballas family have already faced their own threats, with Shirley's son, Mark, 37, a professional on Dancing With The Stars Dancer, allegedly targetted when he was paired with gymnast Shawn Johnson, 31. Shirley also expressed her fear in the ITVX documentary, Olivia Attwood vs The Trolls.
“It’s when it is personal about myself and my family and it affects my mental health. I am not just talking about your phone,” she said. “I am talking about being in public. You worry about those same strange people that write these kinds of messages. Are they lurking in dark corners? Are they hiding behind walls when you go somewhere?”
Last year, Shirley also suggested that the negative comments had almost made her consider quitting Strictly, after she was inundated with thousands of ‘truly awful’ messages about contestants she sent home.
Meanwhile, Holly is yet to speak publicly about her own kidnapping plot. However, she has had plenty of support from her ITV pals, with even Phillip Schofield reportedly reaching out to her after five months of silence following his resignation. A source said that Holly was ‘really happy’ to hear from him, which shows that there is still a bond between them.
Her This Morning co-stars are continuing to ‘juggle’ presenting duties in Holly’s absence. A source told MailOnline that it’s ‘difficult’ for Holly to even think about work right now, but her colleagues are there to support her and will continue to do so for as long as is needed.
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