SHIRLEY BALLAS AND MUM, AUDREY, EMOTIONALLY REUNITE FOLLOWING THE STAR’S SKYATHLON FINALE

• As Audrey made her first TV appearance in over seven years, the Strictly star and her mum were emotionally reunited on live TV for the first time since completing the challenges on Saturday
• When Shirley’s mum first found out about the Skyathlon she refused to speak to her daughter, but now she’s ‘very proud’ of her raising over £30k for CALM
• Last week, TV personality and Campaign Against Living Miserably (CALM) ambassador, Shirley Ballas, conquered the world’s fastest zip line, a 700ft wing walk and a 13,000ft skydive to raise vital funds for CALM
• To donate to Shirley’s Skyathlon head to https://www.thecalmzone.net/skyathlon

TV Star and Campaign Against Living Miserably (CALM) ambassador, Shirley Ballas, was emotionally reunited with her mum, Audrey Rich, today live on BBC Breakfast following the completion for her weeklong Skyathlon. Shirley has raised over £30k for the lifesaving charity and the reunion comes as Audrey makes her first TV appearance in over seven years.

The duo were reunited on the BBC Breakfast sofa for the first time since the Skyathlon finished on Saturday, the surprise appearance comes after Shirley admitted a few weeks ago that her mum wouldn’t speak to her once she found out about the trio of challenges.

Shirley, who completed these challenges in memory of her brother David, kept images of him close to her heart throughout the week and felt as though he was with her, particularly when she took on her first challenge, the zip wire.

The Strictly star and her mum have had an emotional week and have relived the loss of their dear brother and son throughout all the challenges. When talking about the loss of David on BBC Breakfast, Audrey said: “You never really get over it, it’s very hard, at night when you go to bed, you relive it all.”

Shirley added: “‘If I’d had CALM 20 years ago, I think my big brother would be sitting right here with us.”

Shirley had ‘for David’ written on her hands as she jumped out of a plane from 13,000ft for the finale of her Skyathlon, completing what she called “the most difficult challenge”.

The Strictly Come Dancing head judge hung her dancing shoes up for the week and conquered her fear of heights by taking on the world’s fastest zipline, a 700ft wing walk and a 13,000ft skydive – all to help CALM be there for more people who are struggling with life and stop more lives being lost to suicide.

Ballas has decided she will be taking on three new challenges every year to raise more vital funds for CALM, her brother, and people’s loved ones. The star is asking the public to send suggestions her way on what she can do next, however she did point out “everything except bungee jumping”.

Shirley, who sadly lost her brother and more recently, a good friend to suicide, is calling on people to stand with her and support CALM’s life-saving services who receive a call for help every 59 seconds.

She said: “To anybody out there living miserably, to anybody who is contemplating suicide, the CALM helpline can help you, they are there for you, we want to help you.”

What your donation can help fund:

£8 – could help answer a life-saving call

£24 – could provide four families with suicide bereavement support materials

£50 – could pay for the digital licences, equipment and technology for a worker to receive potential lifesaving calls for three days

£80 – could provide a helpline worker with a month of professional support for their own wellbeing and development

£270 – could enable CALM to create information guides

If you or someone you know is struggling head to www.thecalmzone.net for practical support and advice.