Strictly: Ashley Roberts’ Couple’s Choice dance dedicated to her late father eight months on from his suicide brings Shirley Ballas to tears and earns her 39 points
Ashley Roberts paid an emotional tribute to her late father on Saturday night’s Strictly Come Dancing, eight months on from his suicide.
The Pussycat Dolls star danced her Couple’s Choice routine with Pasha Kovalev, telling viewers it was for her dad who in April took his own life aged 69 after ‘a long battle of physical and mental heath’.
The contemporary routine had head judge Shirley Ballas in tears and earner the show favourite a near perfect score of 39 out of 40.
Loss: Ashley Roberts paid an emotional tribute to her late father on Saturday night’s Strictly Come Dancing, eight months on from his suicide
Dancing to Unsteady – Erich Lee Gravity Remix by X Ambassadors, Ashley was seen in tears during rehearsals and as she Face timed her mother in the US for some words of encouragement.
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Her dance earned the singer a standing ovation from the studio and judges Shirley and Bruno Tonioli, whIle Craig Revel Horwood told her:
‘I think you are super, incredible I have to say that now.’ Darcey agreed, gushing: ‘It took my breath away.’
Teary: The contemporary routine had head judge Shirley Ballas in tears and earner the show favourite a near perfect score of 39 out of 40
Shirley’s voice broke as she told a tearful Ashley: ‘I think today you spoke for everyone in the country who has lost somebody they love. I also lost someone. This was sincere, it was danced from a sincere place and I’m sad that your dad wasn’t here to see you but I know he would be proud.’
Ashley told host Claudia Winkleman after her dance: ‘This was a special moment within the show where you can use dance as an outlet to give and share so I hope we connected.’
With Craig awarding the performance a 9, it earned 10s from the three other judges for a total of 39.
Message: The Pussycat Dolls star danced her Couple’s Choice routine with Pasha Kovalev, telling viewers it was for her dad who in April took his own life aged 69
Ashley admitted that Strictly has been ‘a gift’ after an extremely tough year for her and her family.
‘Within the music and the performing is where I know that he is with me, and that means a lot with me,’ she said in training.
Meanwhile, also during the show, Danny John-Jules admitted that ‘everybody screws up’ as he finds himself caught in a ‘bullying’ row with his dancer partner Amy Dowden, something which they have both denied.
Moving on: Danny John-Jules admitted that ‘everybody screws up’ on Saturday’s Strictly Come Dancing as he finds himself caught in a ‘bullying’ row with his dancer partner Amy Dowden, something which they have both denied
Mixed reviews: The Red Dwarf actor, 58, and Welsh dancer Amy, 27, received mixed feedback for their Samba to Feels Like Home, despite not making a single mistake
The Red Dwarf actor, 58, and Welsh dancer Amy, 27, received mixed feedback for their Samba to Feels Like Home, despite not making a single mistake.
While Danny spoke about being at the bottom of the leader board the previous weekend, revealing: ‘There’s no argument to be had, you just went wrong. You’ve got to wipe your mouth and get on with next week… that’s showbiz!
‘Everybody screws up, it’s how you deal with it afterwards that matters.’
The dancing duo received scores of six, seven, seven and seven from the judges, which gave them a total of 27 points.
Close: The singer told fans in April that her father had taken his own life after ‘a long battle of physical and mental heath’
Show favourite: Ashley admitted that Strictly has been ‘a gift’ after an extremely tough year for her and her family
Ashley’s father, Pat, inspired the Pussycat Dolls star to pursue a showbiz career as he used to be a drummer for band The Mamas & The Papas.
As well as the 37-year-old performer’s father having a ‘long battle of physical and mental heath’, the star’s brother, Jayce, 32, has struggled with schizophrenia and spent time in jail.
The singer revealed that her father had passed away in April, she took to her Instagram to share a throwback picture of herself with her dad.
She said: ‘With great sadness in my heart, I wanted to share with you that on the 19th of March – after a long battle of physical and mental heath – My father took his own life . .
Support: Ashley was seen in tears during rehearsals and as she Facetimed her mother in the US for some words of encouragement
Praise: Her dance earned the singer a standing ovation from the studio and judges Shirley and Bruno Tonioli, whole Craig Revel Horwood told her: ‘I think you are super, incredible”
Love: Ashley was given a group hug by host Claudia Winkleman and her co-stars as she broke down after scoring
‘The past 3.5 weeks I’ve been in a state of shock, confusion, questioning, pain so deep in my guts it’s been hard to come up for air. . . Feeling like I don’t know how to move forward from here.
‘What am I supposed to do with all this? For now, I sit here with this pain – Inviting it ALL in. To teach me, to heal me, to rebuild me. . . If any of you have gone through something similar. I understand and my heart goes out to you. . .
‘I will be sharing more on this in the next days, weeks, months to come – as raising awareness here and outreach for those left behind is so so so important . But for now I am grateful for your love and support. Ash.’
If you’ve been affected by this article, please call the Samaritans on 116 123 or 020 7734 2800.
Near perfect: With Craig awarding the performance a 9, it earned 10s from the three other judges for a total of 39
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