Skip to main contentSkip to footer

Strictly's Shirley Ballas gives unexpected warning to Maisie Smith

Will you be watching Maisie on Strictly Come Dancing this year? 

maisie smith 1
Emmy Griffiths
TV & Film Editor
Share this:

Strictly Come Dancing star Shirley Ballas has given a warning to new contestant Maisie Smith about the competition - and we hope she's listening up!

MORE: Prince Harry had best reaction to close friend JJ Chalmers joining Strictly Come Dancing

While the star won the Comic Relief special of the popular show back in 2019, Shirley spoke to The Sun about how she shouldn't let her previous success make her complacent in the new series. 

WATCH: Steph Mcgovern reveals why she turned down Strictly this year

She explained: "I know she won the special but if I was Maisie I wouldn't take anything for granted because doing one dance is not like doing ten weeks.

"You've got to be there and you've got to be full-on and you've got to go the whole nine yards. You could see the competitive spirit, you could feel it. These people all look like they were at the starting block, ready to move forward."

shirley strictly

Shirley spoke candidly about the new series

James and Ola Jordan also opened up about Maisie's chances in their new Strictly column for HELLO!, with James saying: "Maisie and Gorka are both fitness fanatics so I think that's a brilliant pairing because they're both gym freaks but it's hard to say with her. Because she is really into her gym, the only thing that I'd worry about is maybe she won't have the softness." 

maisie smith 7

Maisie won the Comic Relief version of the show

They added that they think she will do well in the competition along with HRVY and Max George, with James adding: "I think the men look stronger on the line up than the females, and I'll put that out there as well. 

MORE: Motsi Mabuse's fitted Strictly dress is a dazzling shade of orange

MORE: James and Ola Jordan give verdict on Strictly's same-sex couple & more

"You've got Max George, Jason Bell, JJ Chalmers, Jamie Laing, HRVY, they all look like they could all do really well, and when I look at the females I would say maybe Nicola, Maisie and Clara are the three that could do well." 

Like this story? Sign up to our newsletter to get other stories like this delivered straight to your inbox.

More TV and Film

See more