Is Shirley Ballas planning to waltz over to the States? All the clues she's set to join Dancing With The Stars as BBC bosses fear all four Strictly judges are set to quit show

Strictly Come Dancing might be facing a whole new shake-up again after reports all four judges are set to quit the show.

Shirley Ballas, Craig Revel Horwood, Anton Du Beke and Motsi Mabuse's contracts are due to finish at the end of this season and negotiate with the corporation.

But following Claudia Winkelman and Tess Daly's exit, bosses are terrified that the controversy surrounding the new format this year will lead to the judges going too.

Shirley, 66, who has been the head judge since 2017, is arguably the favourite of the four thanks to her unmatched technical pedigree, competitive dance legacy and pristine glamour.

And her connections over in the States could mean Shirley is planning to waltz over to Dancing With The Stars after 11 seasons on Strictly.

Speaking to the Daily Mail, brand and culture expert Nick Ede believes America would be a 'fantastic move' career wise for Shirley.

Ede said moving across the pond for DWTS could potentially make Shirley 'an even bigger star'.

Shirley has already starred as a judge on the DWTS spin-off series The Next Pro alongside her son Mark Ballas, who is a professional dancer on the show. 

Ede said: 'Strictly is one of the biggest shows on British television, and being a judge gives you enormous visibility. But there's always a danger of becoming too comfortable. 

'Leaving could be the best career move some of these judges ever make, like Alesha Dixon, provided they have something exciting lined up. The biggest mistake would be walking away without a clear plan because television audiences can move on very quickly and the landscape is so new.'

He added: 'Shirley is probably the one with the biggest opportunity internationally. She's already hugely respected in the ballroom world, and following Bruno Tonioli to Dancing With The Stars in America could be a fantastic move. 

'She's got the personality, the expertise and the glamour that American audiences love. America could potentially make Shirley an even bigger star. 

She has just been a judge on DWTS: The Next Pro which has been very popular so she's becoming a familiar USA judge too and her son is very famous in the US so it all makes a lot of sense for her to eyeing up the USA.'

Ede added if all four judges suddenly departed the show, it would be a 'huge gamble' for the BBC.

He explained: 'Television is notoriously fickle, and there's something incredibly powerful about walking away at the top of your game. But Strictly is also a golden ticket, providing guaranteed primetime exposure every single year. 

'If several judges left at once, it could be a huge gamble for the BBC. The judges are as much a part of Strictly's success as the celebrity contestants.

'But it could also provide an opportunity to refresh the format, introduce younger personalities and attract a new generation of viewers. The real challenge would be finding replacements with the same chemistry, credibility and star power.'

There are several clues Shirley is set to join Dancing With The Stars... 

Insiders suggest that Shirley may not return for what would be her 11th series, with speculation rife that she may relocate to the US to spend more time with her son Mark and her grandchildren. 

One source told the Daily Mail: 'The one thing that the BBC knew would keep some continuity this year was that the judges would all be back. 

'They are under contract so that was a guarantee for the bosses and was definitely one less headache for them. But anything could happen. Any of them could walk away now and they will be free agents.

'The most likely is Shirley. She has done a decade now and she has grandchildren that she wants to see more of.

'The terms of their contracts will have to be renegotiated, and if the judges don't like what the BBC is offering maybe they won't return.

'It will all be very up in the air in December once this run is over.'

Shirley sparked a frenzy earlier this year when she hinted she could be departing Strictly Come Dancing to appear on DWTS.

She fronted the new spin-off for DWTS alongside her professional dancer son Mark. 

The series followed dancers auditioning to become one of the professional dancers on the main show.

12 contestants vied for a contract as a professional dancer on the Dancing With The Stars cast. 

Shirley herself had previously hinted she could leave Strictly Come Dancing so she could spend more time in the US with her son Mark and be a more present grandmother.

In February, the star has shared her regrets over being so busy with her career when son Mark was growing up.

She told The Mirror: 'I want to be a much better grandmother than I was a mother, as I was pursuing my career.'

Shirley continued: 'I have told him I don't think I was there for him. I used to have his teddy in my suitcase. It was very difficult for me.'

Mark, now 40, is a professional dancer based in the US, where he lives with his two children, Banksi, whom he shares with his wife, singer-songwriter BC Jean, 39.

Shirley had previously stated she would stay on Strictly 'as long as they would have her,' even hitting back at the idea she could leave after facing trolling due to some of her judging decisions.

'Shirley certainly won't be leaving Strictly over the opinions of online trolls,' an insider told the Daily Mail. 

'She knows what she's talking about and always stands by every decision she makes.'

There have also been disputes over pay on Strictly. 

In 2023, the judges enraged BBC bosses when they demanded an 11 per cent pay rise on their salaries, which are thought to be between £200,000 and £300,000 for the three-and-a-half-month stint.

Chiefs were furious at the demands and refused. Instead, the judges took a raise of between 3 and 5 per cent. 

A show source said: 'If they want more money again, it's unlikely that will happen. 

'The BBC can't justify these salaries and now the viewing figures have tanked there's even less of a chance they will get more next time.' 

A BBC source told the Daily Mail at the time: 'While there is always some negotiation that goes on when new contracts are signed each year, this is something else.

'Their jobs are some of the very best on television and they are already very well remunerated for their work so when these negotiations began this time around, there was shock and anger.

'It is also not like they spend any other time working behind the scenes like the professional dancers. They turn up, get their make up done and go in front of the camera.

'The professional dancers work tirelessly for weeks on end and they work themselves to the bone for the smidgen of what the judges already earn, let alone what they want to earn.

'You would think that they would be aware that they work for the BBC and that they are essentially paid for by the British public through the licence fee.'

Amid the rumours there'll be a judges shake up, former Strictly professional James Jordan begged bosses to replace the judges as he weighed into the controversy surrounding the BBC show.

In an interview with the Daily Mail, James argued the dynamic between the judges also needs to be reevaluated.

'I think some of the judges need to be replaced,' he suggested. 'I find it all too predictable now what they're going to say each week because we know them all so well. 

'I really do feel that the judging panel needs a bit of a freshen up because I don't think it's working anymore.'

Speaking about the relationship between the new hosts and judges, James said: 'I'll probably get called bitter for this, but I love watching the show.

'I think the show is amazing, but I do feel that the dynamic between them just seems a little bit scripted and disjointed.'