Shirley Ballas has said it has been an “emotional” week after having her breast implants removed, and that she was in pain while filming Strictly Come Dancing at the weekend.
The Wallasey-born TV judge took part in Saturday’s live show just four days after going under the knife.
She said she decided to go back to work right away because she had made a commitment to the programme.
Ballas, 59, told ITV’s Lorraine that, while she is in pain – and was during the live broadcast at the weekend – she is doing well, adding: “It’s definitely been an emotional week for sure.”
On not missing the show following the surgery, she said: “I made a commitment to the show and I wanted to see it through. I made a decision to put them in (the implants) and I made the decision to take them out.”
Ballas said it was painful, but that she “chose to take minimal painkillers”.
Tomorrow morning, #Strictly's @ShirleyBallas is joining us for an exclusive interview to discuss her breast implant removal surgery.
— Lorraine (@lorraine) November 3, 2019
We were with her at home as she prepared for the operation...
Tune in tomorrow from 8.30am @itv. pic.twitter.com/2gQy7xTVlV
“Every day it will get better. About 6-8 weeks’ recuperation. I won’t (miss a show).”
During Saturday’s Strictly, head judge Ballas did not dance as she made her entrance, instead walking down the stairs holding on to the banister on her way to her seat.
She eschewed her usual glamorous gowns for a black trouser suit with a white blouse and black bow at her neck.
Ballas recently expressed her regret over having breast implants as she warned other women to think twice before going under the knife.
She reportedly spent four-and-a-half hours on the operating table to have her breast augmentation reversed and a potentially dangerous capsule removed.
Shirley Ballas before and after the surgery (ITV/Lorraine)
Ballas decided to revert back to her natural A cup because of health concerns and finally being able to accept her natural body after being told by a healthcare professional during a mammogram that they may not always be able to check for cancer behind the implants.
She told Lorraine: “I had them done 17 years ago… (if I could) go back, I would never have done it. I did not do enough research… really do study the whole procedure. It is not how it seems to be.”
Remarking on how she feels now, she added: “I do feel more like myself. I’m still getting used to it – all the clothes are a little bit different now.
“It was a DD, now it’s an A/B, it’s quite a difference in bust size. Before they were heavy, they were weighted, there was cancer in my family, I was concerned about that.”
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