Strictly's Shayne Ward puts 40th birthday plans on hold after near-exit from show

Shayne Ward says his 40th plans are on hold after he only narrowly escaped an early exit.

Instead of a big bash, marked this week’s milestone with a gruelling eight-hour dance session… followed by chicken nuggets and beans at home with his family. But the singer – in the bottom two on last weekend’s Strictly leaderboard – said being home was the best present he could have.

Shayne, who has daughter Willow, seven, and son Reign, two, said: “I woke up to a beautiful surprise my fiancée Sophie and Willow had organised. I got my little son up and had a beautiful morning with my family. I walked my girl to school and then waved my son off to nursery.

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“Then I rehearsed with Nancy for about eight hours and went home to put the kids to bed. It was a pretty good 40th – but we’ll be going on a Ward adventure pretty soon.” He added: “I didn’t have any drinks to celebrate.

“Sophie didn’t expect me back so I just had chicken nuggets and beans with the kids as my birthday meal. But it was the best birthday meal ever. She also made me a banoffee cake, which I love. There’ll be plenty of time when I can go for a pint.”

But first, Shayne is focusing on staying in the dance contest for as long as possible. He admitted: “I was gutted being in the bottom two. There’s a moment where you think, ‘Is this it? Is this the end of my journey?’

“We’ve listened to the judges and we’re ready to come back fighting. It’s hard not to let it affect your confidence. But it also refocuses you. It reignites that fire.”

Performing the American Smooth to Get Here by Sam Smith this weekend with partner Nancy Xu, he hopes to win over viewers. Shayne describes the Strictly crew as family and says they have all got behind Wynne Evans following the backlash to his and Katya’s “inside joke” after awkward moments between the pair during last weekend’s show.

He said: “Wynne is a beautiful person, he really is. It was a joke that has gone wrong and that should be the end of it.” Singer and actor Shayne, who won the ’s second series in 2005, also paid tribute to star Liam Payne after his death this week.

He said: “It’s a tragic loss of a beautiful young life. He was gifted. I was 21 when I won, so a bit older than Liam, and I didn’t have the same stratosphere of success – but it takes you away from the real . There are highs and lows.”

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