An obsessed stalker of Strictly Come Dancing head judge Shirley Ballas now faces jail after admitting making her life hell for six years.
Kyle Shaw, 37, pleaded guilty to harassing the 64 year-old TV judge from 31st August 2017 to 29th November 2023. He also admitted possession of a quantity of cannabis on 5th December 2023.
Shirley Ballas is head judge of the BBC dance show (Image: BBC/Guy Levy)
On Tuesday afternoon Shaw, of Birkenhead, Wirral, was given conditional bail ahead of a sentencing hearing on 1st April where he could face a prison term.
At Liverpool Crown Court he was brought into the dock wearing a black coat and sporting short dark hair and facial hair - clutching a baseball cap and a blue surgical facial mask.
Previously Shirley had explained how Shaw's relentless actions, including photographing her home, had left her "fedarful".
Judge Gary Woodhall told him: "You have pleaded guilty. I am going to call from the Probation Service to prepare a pre-sentence report.
"I am going to adjourn this case to the 1st of April. You can have your conditional bail on the same terms.
"I want you to firmly understand this. Adjourning this case and giving you bail is not to be taken as an indication of what that sentence will be. There is a very real risk of an immediate custodial sentence."
Shaw only spoke to confirm his name and date of birth but the court heard he "made continued unwanted attempt to contact Shirley Ballas", made "social media posts" about her "including posting a picture of her house", attempted to contact her friends and colleagues and arranged to attend her booked tour.
This was said to have caused Shirley to "relocate her mother to a different property" and alter her personal arrangements.
John Weate, defending, said: "The defendant is a man of previous good character. I ask that the case be adjourned for a pre-sentence report."
Prosecutor Nicola Daley said Shaw’s existing bail conditions, which prevent him from contacting Shirley and her former partner Danny Taylor - or entering London.
Speaking on The Mirror's 'Invite Only' podcast, Shirley said in January: "There was one particular person who was kind of stalking me. That is under investigation at the moment, as we speak. I know his computer and phone, everything has been confiscated.
"He was taking pictures of my house, he had my house, he had my car. So, yes, there have been times when I have been fearful."
In November 2024 it was revealed Ballas had split from her fiancé Taylor, 51, after six years together.
During an appearance on the 'Great Company' podcast, Shirley explained, " I’ve just split with my boyfriend. My relationships have been disasters all along.
"But what I am truly grateful for is that I still have my mother, and that she lives with me, and I get these precious moments with her. Because my mother is the only thing that’s been a staple in my life."
As a dancer Shirley specialises in the International Latin division, where she won several championship titles which earned her the nickname "the Queen of Latin".
The TV star grew up in Wallasey before moving to Shipley in West Yorkshire, aged 15, to live with family and has been head judge on the BBC show since 2017 - taking over from the late Len Goodman.
The Strictly star most recently has been seen our screens alonmgside 11 other stars including Mel B on new Netflix series Celebrity Bear Hunt, which saw them taking on gruelling challenges and having to share close quarters while avoiding hunter Bear Grylls as he tracked them down.
