Shirley Ballas’ former fiancé Danny Taylor was seen being supported by a new mystery woman at Linda Nolan’s funeral held in St. Paul’s Church in Blackpool on Saturday.

Danny split from the Strictly Come Dancing head judge, 64, in November after six years together.

And two months after the breakdown of his relationship was revealed, Danny was accompanied by an unknown red head as they paid their respects to Linda, who pᴀssed away on January 15.

Danny cut a sharp figure in a black suit and looked distraught over the loss of the star, whom he worked with in a West End production of Blood Brothers.

Meanwhile, his companion cut a very glamorous figure fur-trimmed black coat which she teamed with killer black heels and a leopard print handbag. 

She was seen offering Danny emotional support at the funeral as she linked arms with him before entering the church together.  

Shirley Ballas’ former fiancé Danny Taylor was seen being supported by a new mystery woman at Linda Nolan’s funeral held in St. Paul’s Church in Blackpool on Saturday 

Danny split from the Strictly Come Dancing head judge , 64, in November after six years together [pictured together in 2022]

Following the news of Linda’s pᴀssing, Danny wrote a heartfelt tribute on Instagram, in which he suggested Linda was a mother-figure to him.

Alongside snaps of them from throughout the years, he penned: ‘My dear showbiz mam and friend who like many I absolutely loved and adored. 

‘An absolute force of nature with the DNA of the role of Mrs Johnstone running through her veins which she made so brilliantly her own. Fiesty, loyal, funny, inspirational and much more with bigger balls than any fella I’ve ever known. 

‘My thoughts are with her glorious sisters, family and pals that are grieving her loss right now. One in a million but at least your back with your back with your beloved Brian and of course Bernie . Thank you for being there xxxx Love and miss you already. So so sad ..YNWA.’

Singing icon Linda tragically pᴀssed away on January 15 2025 aged 65 following a 20-year breast cancer battle and after suffering from double pneumonia.

She was living with secondary breast cancer, which had spread to her hip, liver and brain, but cancer was not the cause of death. 

Linda was laid to rest in her ‘spiritual home’ of Blackpool, where the Nolans found fame after moving to the town in 1972, and where they lived for much of their lives, once even recording a single called Blackpool about the football club. 

The funeral service, which began at 10.30am, was held in the same church on Honister Avenue where Linda married her beloved husband Brian Hudson in 1981. 

Two months after the breakdown of his relationship was revealed, Danny was accompanied by an unknown red head as they paid their respects to Linda, who pᴀssed away on January 15

Danny cut a sharp figure in a black suit and looked distraught over the loss of the star, whom he worked with in a West End production of Blood Brothers

Singing icon Linda tragically pᴀssed away on January 15 2024 aged 65 following a 20-year breast cancer battle and suffering from double pneumonia (pictured in 2020) 

Following the news of Linda’s pᴀssing, Danny wrote a heartfelt tribute on Instagram, in which he suggested Linda was a mother-figure to him

Alongside snaps of them from throughout the years, he penned: ‘My dear showbiz mam and friend who like many I absolutely loved and adored’

Read More Shirley Ballas admits her ‘love life is a disaster’ after split from toyboy

The church is also where she held Brian’s funeral, after she lost him to skin cancer in 2007 when he was 60 years old.

A private service followed at a crematorium nearby, with Linda laid to rest with Brian’s ashes.

Danny’s appearance comes weeks after Shirley confessed her love life is a ‘disaster’, after splitting from her toyboy partner. 

The twice-married, four-times engaged Strictly star has now said the loves of her life are her son, Mark, 38, and her 87-year-old mum, Audrey.

Speaking on the Great Company podcast with Jamie Laing, Shirley confirmed her split from her fiance, who she got engaged to in 2021 after they met while appearing in panto together in late 2018.

She said: ‘Currently, I’ve just split with my boyfriend. My relationships have been a disaster, all the way along the line. 

‘What turns me off is a liar, somebody who says they’ll be there and isn’t. 

‘But what I am truly grateful for is that I still have my mother, and that she lives with me, and I get these precious moments with her.

Danny’s appearance comes weeks after Shirley confessed her love life is a ‘disaster’, after splitting from her toyboy partner [pictured together in 2019]

The twice-married, four-times engaged Strictly star has now said the loves of her life are her son, Mark, 38, and her 87-year-old mum, Audrey [pictured in 2022] 

‘Because my mother is the only thing that’s been a staple in my life. No friend, no marriage, no nothing.

‘You know, all I keep saying at the end of the day is I’m blessed to have had my son, and without the journey I took, I wouldn’t have him, and then I wouldn’t have my grandson.

‘So, it’s fate, if you want to, it’s directions that you choose.’

Shirley was first engaged at the age of 16 to her then-ballroom partner Nigel Tiffany.

She went on to marry her dance partner Sammy Stopford when she was 18, but the union lasted four years before she ran away to America with Texan dancer Corky Ballas.

They tied the knot in 1985 and welcomed son Mark the following year. The pair split in 2007.