Strictly Come Dancing head judge Shirley Ballas revealed she “hardly slept because I was just too excited” when her choreographer son Mark Ballas appeared on the US version of the show.

Mark made his debut as a guest judge on Dancing With The Stars (DWTS) on Tuesday night, appearing alongside regulars Carrie Ann Inaba, Derek Hough and former Strictly judge Bruno Tonioli.

Ballas wrote on Instagram: “Congratulations to my son @markballas who was a guest judge on @dancingwiththestars last night.

“I stayed up all night to take part. I barely slept because I was just too excited and now exhausted, but it was totally worth it.

“Watching him on the other side of the desk with his best friend @derekhough, @brunotonioliofficial and @carrieanninaba (the same seat his little old mother sits on @bbcstrictly might I add lol) was a very proud moment. Your English mother across the pond is very, very proud.”

She also said dancer Hayley Erbert’s return to the dance floor after major brain surgery to perform with her husband Derek Hough was “outstanding.”

Ballas added: “It has to be one of the most beautiful moving things I have ever seen in my life. Congratulations to everyone for a great show. I feel really blessed.”

She shares musician, Broadway star and professional dancer Mark with Texas ballroom dancer Corky Ballas, to whom she was married between 1985 and 2007.

Mark was a professional dancer on DWTS and was nominated for an Emmy for Outstanding Choreography in 2011 for his work on the show.

In 2017, “Queen of Latin” Ballas was named Strictly’s new head judge, replacing Len Goodman, who was also a judge on DWTS.

She also looked after Mark, Hough and his sister Julianne, whose guardian she was when they were sent to London to study with her as children.