Strictly Come Dancing's head judge Shirley Ballas has been left heartbroken following death of her dear friend and dance legend, Pat Thompson. Shirley took to Instagram on Friday, May 10, to share her grief with a heartfelt tribute to her "beloved" Pat.
Posting a nostalgic black and white snapshot of Pat dancing, Shirley penned: "Such very sad news about our beloved Pat Thompson. RIP to an icon and inspiration of our dancing world. You will be sorely missed. May you rest in peace darling Pam with George x."
The news comes on the heels of Shirley's own health concerns, as she recently underwent cancer testing after three biopsies. Thankfully, she was able to deliver positive news to her fans, confirming that her tests came back clear of any cancer.
Shirley expressed her gratitude on Instagram to her 334,000 followers, saying: "Thank you to you all for your well-wishes following my two mammograms, one ultrasound and three biopsies last week."
"I am feeling blessed to share that my results have come back all clear - there is no cancer present. X" (sic), as reported by the Express. In her update, Shirley also thanked Macmillan Cancer Support and gave a shout-out to her Strictly co-star Amy Dowden, who has been openly battling breast cancer, reports Birmingham Live.
Strictly Come Dancing judge Shirley shared an emotional update from her hospital bed, opening up to her fans: "Sharing the picture to my story last week very much triggered my emotions, but I feel it's only right for me to share both the highs and the lows of life."
She continued with a heartfelt plea: "If I was able to help just one lady, then sharing my picture was worth it. I got my recall while on holiday and I immediately cleared my diary to allow for the appointment. I urge all women to do the same. Please do not put your mammogram, smear test or in fact any appointment off. They really can change your life," urging the importance of regular health checks.
Shirley added a note of thanks: "Who knows what may have happened if I put mine off? Get booked, get checked, get your body MOT everyone. With immense gratitude to friends, family and fans who reached out. I appreciate you more than you know."
