A BBC TV star and pantomime actress has slammed an abuse-filled letter as "cowardly" after it was hand-delivered to her "place of work."

Online, Strictly Come Dancing's Head Judge Shirley Ballas revealed she was handed 'hate mail,' while preparing to perform at Darlington Hippodrome.

The Strictly star, who has been playing Mother Nature in Jack and the Beanstalk since December, said it "had gone a step further now" as she posted the letter online.

The Northern Echo: Shirley Ballas and Daniel Taylor at the Hippodrome Picture: SARAH CALDECOTTShirley Ballas and Daniel Taylor at the Hippodrome Picture: SARAH CALDECOTT

On the social media platform Instagram, the letter said "S***egob, could you during your g******g performance, remove your head from your huge fat a*****e."

It continued to read: "It was a very sad day when you were appointed a judge on Strictly, a very sad day."

Describing the person who wrote letter and delivered it to the Hippodrome as "cowardly," the star said "enough is enough."

Ms Ballas, who only last month visited Age UK's Bradbury House in Darlington, surprised a life-long dancing fan 99-year-old Bill Blewitt.

The Northern Echo:

At the time, she said: “We are all hitting it (old age) and we should respect and give time where we can to brighten people’s day.

“We just love visiting places like this, even if it is only for half an hour, and the fact that everybody was a Strictly fan was a bonus."

Ms Ballas previously told The Northern Echo ahead of her panto launch that she "couldn't wait" to perform in the town. 

'My inbox was full of horrific and horrendous messages'

Condemning the letter, on Instagram she said: "As we know I had quite a lot of bullying on Strictly this time and my inbox on Instagram was full of horrific and horrendous messages.

The Northern Echo:

"But this has gone a step further now, so I have had hand delivered a message, which I am going to share with you.

"Hand delivered to the Hippodrome addressed to me with not such a nice comments or words."

'It's the other person's issue'

Ms Ballas used the hate mail to send her own message to those who have received online abuse.

She said: "My message is for the young people, anybody out there, who receives awful messages or hate mail or things from people they don't know.

"The issue is the other person's issue - it is not so much ours even though I do still find it upsetting to go and perform and read something like this from somebody who doesn't even know me.

"The message out there is be strong going into 2020, really really love yourself and dont be phased by the bullies.

"It's cowardly to just drop off (the letter) at my place of work, all the judges on Strictly are there to the best job we can - enough is enough.

"Positive vibes for 2020 please."