Last weekend’s edition of Strictly Come Dancing was an explosive one as the series trialled its first Lindyhopathon in a bid to give the remaining contestants a chance to win extra points.
Chaos ensued on the BBC show as things started to go wrong with the carefully planned set up for the dance extravaganza.
And then in a startling twist the Queen of Latin said Karen’s name wrong.
Appearing on This Morning to discuss the series today, Shirley addressed what had really happened to presenters Eamonn Holmes and Ruth Langsford.
“It’s much easier than the first season, you’re holding the paddle pressing the things you know,” she began. “One or two glitches here and there, but basically it goes quite well.”
Not willing to let Shirley off that easily, Eamonn pressed: “What happened with iPad gate last week? Because we feel for you, we know you press the [home] button and you go like that to the home screen.”
“Well Darcey was doing the iPads,” Shirley answered with a smile. “And Craig had to write in his way, you know, first through seventh.
“The iPad seemed to go down and then we were fumbling for this piece of paper.”
Recalling the evening’s events, Shirley continued: “And for a split second I glanced up and saw royalty there.
“And then as I glanced down I saw Charles [Venn] and Karen, and it just rolled off my tongue [Prince] Charles and [Princess] Diana.”
The star laughed as she admitted her strange association and Ruth and Eamonn’s eyebrows raised at the story.
“I did apologise to Karen,” the judge insisted. “She took it with a great sense of humour. But yeah it’s just live TV so that happens…”
Keen to show her support for the guest, Ruth assured: “Always proves it’s live doesn’t it?”
“And actually people quite like it sometimes when it goes a little bit wrong… just a little bit wrong, don’t they?” she giggled conspiratorially.
The royal audience members Shirley had been referring to were Lady Louise Mountbatten-Windsor and her mother Sophie, Countess of Wessex.
The two women were pictured standing up and cheering on the acts as they delivered their show-stopping performances, particularly former contestant Graeme Swann and his professional dance partner Oti Mabuse.
The pair danced a traditional Quickstep and had most of the audience on their feet, but unfortunately it wasn’t enough to save them from the public vote.
Forced to dance against Ashley Roberts and Pasha Kovalev in the dance off, Graeme and Oti lost out as the judges unanimously voted to save the former Pussycat Dolls singer.
Strictly Come Dancing continues Saturday at 7.10pm on BBC One.
