Shirley Ballas braved the Costa Rican jungle with Boris Becker, Danny Cipriani, Lottie Moss, Laurence Llewelyn-Bowen, Steph McGovern, Leomie Anderson, Kola Bokinni, Joe Thomas, Zuhair Hassan, Una Healy and Mel B but said her experience was ruined by one star.The Netflix hit sees stars try to outrun survival expert Bear in a series of cat and mouse-style challenges.
Strictly Come Dancing star Shirley is used to working with celebrities under pressure but admits one “diva” made things tricky for the rest of the gang. “There’s always somebody in a group that thinks they’re more entitled than the rest,” says Shirley. “If they tell me my bus will be ready at 9am then I’m there at quarter to nine, I am that person.
When you have to hang around waiting for divas, that doesn’t work well with me, I wouldn’t say it was all plain sailing.” Shirley didn’t reveal the identity of the “diva” in the camp but admits she’s looking forward to watching the show to see if producers edited out their behaviour - or left it in to let fans see. “It wasn’t 12 little Snow Whites, put it that way,” says Shirley. “It’s when you get someone who thinks they’re entitled then it’s a bit more difficult.” Aside from the diva Shirley is tactfully not naming, the dancer made deep friendships, and has kept in touch with Boris, Danny, Steph and Kate Moss’s little sister Lottie.
And she enjoyed cooking with Zuhair – aka Big Zuu – who she says is “competitive”. “I missed little Lottie Moss when I came home,” says Shirley. “You read things in the newspaper about people, but when you actually get to know them, they’re just gorgeous.
Read more on ok.co.uk