Shirley Ballas of Strictly Come Dancing took to the skies for a breathtaking stunt in which she was attached to the top of an airliner.
The former professional dancer, who has been the chief judge on the BBC dancing series since 2017, revealed earlier this year that she will be participating in a Skyathlon to benefit the mental health charity Campaign Against Living Miserably.
Shirley joined up for three challenges in commemoration of her late brother David, who committed suicide in 2003, in order to raise money and prevent additional lives from being lost to suicide.
She overcame her fear of heights this week, and she did not disappoint.
Shirley, 62, undertook a Wing Walk on Thursday after completing the world’s fastest zipline, which extends 1.5 km above Penrhyn Quarry.
The actor was tied to the rig of the plane as it took off and achieved speeds of up to 110mph.
Shirley tweeted a live video of herself on the plane before taking off, as well as a snapshot of herself on the plane.
Calm commented on her post writing: ‘INCREDIBLE. You smashed it, Shirley. Thank you so much for everything you’re doing to help stop more lives being lost to suicide.’
‘Well done Shirl. I’m shaking for you just watching that…thank you for doing this when it’s so close to me you’ve really pulled on my heart strings this week what an amazing person you are,’ one fan wrote.
Another added: ‘Congratulations. Conquering your fears. What an achievement and for such a worthy cause.’
A few hours later Shirley said it had been a ‘highly charged and highly emotional day’.
Shirley will skydive from 13,000 feet on Saturday.
How can Calm help?
CALM’s helpline and livechat are open from 5pm to midnight every day, 365 days a year.
If you or someone you know needs help, call 0800 58 58 58.
Last month she told Metro.co.uk that despite her fears, she wanted to do her bit to help other families.
‘Nothing terrifies me more than somebody losing a loved one like my family, my mum and I, and going through the pain of when he died 20 years ago,’ she said.
‘I thought I needed to go big and do something people would think I’d never do,’ she added.
While she shared her mum Audrey wasn’t too thrilled about the daring acts, Shirley said her brother would have been totally on board and cheering her on.
To donate to Shirley’s Skyathlon head to https://www.thecalmzone.net/skyathlon
Strictly Come Dancing returns to BBC later this year.
Source My Celebrity Life.