Shirley Ballas joins DWTS: The Next Pro as head judge
Originally published Jul 13, 2026
By Alyssa Norwin, TV Insider · TV Insider
AI-generated summary based on TV Insider · Aggregated by Filmarian · Human-reviewed and approved on Jul 13, 2026
Key points
- Shirley Ballas is the new head judge for DWTS: The Next Pro.
- She previously judged Strictly Come Dancing starting in 2017.
- Ballas shares son Mark with ex‑husband Corky Ballas.
Shirley Ballas, who has served as the head judge on Strictly Come Dancing since 2017, is now taking the same role for Dancing With the Stars: The Next Pro. She will appear alongside her son Mark Ballas and a rotating panel of guest judges to evaluate aspiring professional dancers. The excerpt notes that Ballas shares Mark with ex‑husband Corky Ballas and mentions she has been married more than once, but provides no further details about her current relationship status.
Read the original story: TV Insider — by Alyssa Norwin, TV Insider
