Strictly Come Dancing head judge Shirley Ballas was told to change her judging style on the show by her 81-year-old mother Audrey, she has revealed.

Ballas, 57, replaced Len Goodman on the judging panel this year and has made her mark by giving detailed technical commentary on performances.

Pride of Britain Awards 2017 – London
Shirley Ballas attending The Pride of Britain Awards 2017 (Ian West/PA)

She also said her dream celebrity contestant for the BBC One series would be former X Factor judge Cheryl, saying: “I think Cheryl Cole would be amazing.”

She told Radio Times: “She (Audrey) said, ‘I love it that you’re giving your technical advice, but what are you talking about? Can you put it a little bit more in layman’s terms?”

The Queen of Latin came under fire for her decision not to save show favourite Aston Merrygold a few weeks ago, leading to him being sent home over The Saturdays singer Mollie King.

Reflecting on his exit, she told Radio Times: “There was nothing that that boy (Aston) couldn’t do and he shouldn’t have been in the dance-off.

“But whose fault was that? It certainly wasn’t mine. It was the public.

“Should Jonnie (Peacock) have been in the bottom two? Should Debbie (McGee)? I have to do my job once you vote. I have to do my job based on what the country has decided.”

The newest addition to the judging panel described her relationships with the other judges – Darcey Bussell, Craig Revel Horwood and Bruno Tonioli – affectionately labelling Tonioli as “mad as a hatter!”.

She said she would love to marry Revel Horwood, adding that he is “everything that you would want in a man”.

Despite having a different upbringing to ballet dancer Bussell, she said the pair get on well.

Strictly Come Dancing Launch 2017 – London
Craig Revel Horwood, Darcey Bussell, Shirley Ballas and Bruno Tonioli at the launch of Strictly Come Dancing 2017 at Broadcasting House in London (PA)

“She’s like Snow White, she’s so beautiful,” she told Radio Times.

“Our backgrounds are worlds apart. I come from a housing estate, the underprivileged if you like, and she comes from privilege. But her persona and her lovely attitude just work well with mine. She’s so kind I want to cuddle her all the time and give her a squeeze.”

Read the full interview in this week’s Radio Times.