Katherine Jenkins breaks down in tears on Dancing with the Stars after achieving a near-perfect score for emotional tribute waltz to her late father

By Eleanor Gower
PUBLISHED: 06:42, 3 April 2012 | UPDATED: 10:24, 3 April 2012

There wasn't a dry eye left in the ballroom on tonight's Dancing With Stars, with Katherine Jenkins breaking down in floods of tears after dancing a tribute to her late father Selwyn.
The Welsh singer achieved a near perfect score of 29 out of 30 for her waltz with partner Mark Ballas during an emotional Most Memorable Year week.
Looking stunning in a lilac dress, the star had selected her memorable year as 1996, when her father died of lung cancer at the age of 70.


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While many dancing professionals and audience members dabbed away tears, the visibly moved judge Carrie Ann Inaba choked back the tears before telling Katherine: 'It's like your father's arms were around you.'
Judge Len Goodman added: 'The bottom line... You are a wonderful dancer,' while Bruno called her performance 'sensational.'
Earlier, the audience had watched a video montage where Katherine described the tragic events of 1996 when her father passed away.


'In 1996, we found out my father had lung cancer,' Katherine told viewers. 'I got pulled out of class by my auntie who said "Your dad's gone into a coma and gone into a hospice.
'It happened so quickly,' she recalled. 'The following day, he passed away and I'm just glad I got the chance to say goodbye.
'If I could go back and tell my dad I would be in America and dancing on TV for him, he just wouldn't believe it. That's what's just so overwhelming. I wouldn't be where I am today without my dad. Dad, this waltz is for you.'




The star also topped the leader board in an evening filled with raw emotion.
The View host Sherri Shepherd danced a tribute to her son Jeffrey, who was born 15 weeks premature back in 2005, when she was told he would suffer from cerebral palsy and paralysis.
'He delivered at a pound, ten ounces,' she recalled during rehearsals with partner Val Chmerkovskiy.




'He does not have cerebral palsy; he is not paralysed and I am so thankful. I want to show Jeffrey through this rumba how much I love him.'
Despite dancing in a more sombre style in a departure from her more bubbly show, the judges were appreciative of her emotional interpretation, awarding her 24 points out of 30.
Len said: 'I appreciated the emotion you put into that dance. I thought you did a great job.'
Bruno added: 'Mama can move. it was very deeply felt, very well expressed.'


Actor and musician Jack Wagner selected 2011 as his magic year, recalling how he met long lost daughter Kerry for the first time.
'I've been blessed,' he said, saying that he wanted he and partner Anna Trebunksaya's samba to be: 'A tribute to Kerry. I want to see it as a celebration carnival.'
They performed the dance to one of his own songs, scoring three eights, with his rhythm impressing Len.




'I saw a totally different side to you,' the head judge told him. 'I liked the rhythm that you showed, especially in the hips. For me, your best dance.
Bruno added: 'You got the party started. You were in the driving seat Your timing was much better.'
Maria Menounos and Gavin DeGraw also paid tributes to their families, with an emotional Maria recalling 1988, when her Greek immigrant parents were struggling to make a living as janitors.



'My parents worked so hard to keep a roof over our heads and food on our table,' she told her partner Derek Hough. 'I've definitely come a long way from picking up quarters from nightclubs in Boston.'

Their sultry rumba to a pared down version of Madonna's Material Girl impressed the judges, with Bruno asking her. 'Is it Maria or Aphrodite? You have something in week three that I've never seen.'
'A mix of the ballroom with a touch of the bedroom,' added Len. 'Overall a fabulous dance.'



Footballer Donald Driver was equally emotional as he performed the rumba with partner Peta Murgatroyd in honour of best friend Brian Pretlow, who died of cancer back in 2010.
'He died in my arms, I never let him go' recalled Donald, before performing an emotional number which struck a chord with Len who said: 'I didn't expect a great big hunky football guy to dance with such warmth and emotion.'
Donald added in his post-dance interview: 'Everybody has emotions, and everybody has feelings. Tonight it's just great to be part of everybody's life.'



Melissa Gilbert's most memorable moment was back in 2010, where she broke her back while touring with the Little House on the Prairie musical.
'I could hardly walk, let alone dance. And I'm here,' she exclaimed, before taking to the floor with partner Maksim Chmerkovskiy for the jive.
Bruno was impressed, telling her: 'Melissa is on a mission to put the raunch into the jive. You dance with Maks beautifully.'



There were some happier memories, however, with Gladys Knight recalling year 1957, when she first went on tour with her legendary group The Pips.
She dedicated her foxtrot to her friend, the late soul singer, Sam Cooke and impressed the judges with her improvement from last week.
Looking stunning in a sequinned pink gown, Gladys scored three eights from the judges, with Carrie Ann calling the number 'sensuous and soulful' and Bruno complementing her 'grace and finesse.'



Fan favourite William Levy was one of the night's most energetic performers, dancing the salsa with partner Cheryl Burke in memory of 1995, when the Cuban native first came to America.
'We grew up very poor,' he told the dance professional during rehearsals. 'We were eight people living in the same house.'
Len told him: 'Back in 1066, we had a King - William The Conqueror - you conquered the salsa,' while Bruno told him 'That was amazing.'
The pairing were awarded a double nine and a ten - their highest score of the competition so far.





For former Family Matters star Jaleel White, his dance was in honour of the emotional moment that producers introduced character Steve Urkel's suave alter-ego Stefan Urquelle to the show in the seventh season.
'Playing Stefan Urquelle was life-changing for me,' recalled the 35-year-old actor. 'I was apprehensive about playing Stefan, but the executive producers saw in me the man I hadn't become yet.'

His rumba with partner Kym Johnson proved popular, with Carrie Ann citing it as something of a comeback after last week's performance, telling him: 'You are back in the game.'



Bruno added: 'You play it cool, you play it well, you play it smooth. The rumba has to be fluid.
The memory proved over-emotional for Jaleel, who broke down in tears during his post dance interview, telling Brooke: 'I can't begin to express how personal it was.'
Meanwhile, 20-years-old, Disney star Roshon Fegan cited the first time he saw Michael Jackson perform on stage in 1996 as his most memorable year.


'Even though I was young, it gave me inspiration to do the same,' he said, before rehearsing with Jackson's former choreographer Travis Payne.
He and partner Chelsie Hightower excited a smiling Len with their samba: 'What I loved is that you come out and give it 100% and that's a great attitude,' he said.
Bruno added: 'Michael Jackson would love it and so do I. I saw him rehearse in the 1970s in London and I thought I was watching him.'









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