The 57-year-old head judge became a TV favourite this series due to her refreshingly sharp but honest comments, though it was claimed that the overwhelm from being in the spotlight was deterring her from signing up for another series.
Karen, who was partnered with Simon Rimmer during the latest series of Strictly Come Dancing, explained that her time off has been hectic, but she has had a nice break.
Speaking exclusively to Express.co.uk, Karen said: “Yeah I’ve managed to recover a little bit. I mean, I’m still quite wobbly but yeah I’m getting back on my feet which is great.”
Discussing Shirley, Karen revealed she is hopeful for a return due to the impact she had with her critique.
Karen, 35, gushed: “It was a fantastic show and yeah, Shirley. Shirley was ace!
“I loved the way that she was real and just kind of told it how it was and obviously she knows exactly what she’s watching.
“So you really trusted her. I mean I did definitely. I just loved everything about her which was great.
“She was a great addition for the show this year. I really hope [she comes back]. I hope everybody comes back. We should do the series all over again.”
Husband and fellow professional dancer Kevin Clifton is currently starring in the Strictly Come Dancing live tour, which Karen hopes to see once “everything has calmed down”.
Karen explained: “Oh definitely! I’m just waiting for everything to calm down and for them to get on the road but I’m definitely looking forward to seeing it. Especially when it comes to London! That’s when it gets really intense.”
The pair will begin their own tour called Kevin & Karen Dance later this year.
She continued: “Kevin and I are starting our tour in May. We start rehearsals in early May and kick off on May 22 and we go till the end of July. So it’s really exciting for us.
“Right now I’m in the process of creating everything. Putting all the costumes, makeup, dancers together, so I’m definitely keeping busy.”
Appealing directly to fans of the show, Karen pleaded that those interested in dance should “just do it” and “not be afraid”.
Karen added: “It’s baby steps. The first thing is to just go and do it. So don’t be afraid. When you find a good teacher and a great group of people you’ll start feeling like you’re part of it. But the first thing is to just go out there and just do it.”
