Strictly Come Dancing star and comedian Jayde Adams had the audience, judges and entire nation in tears on Saturday night after she danced a beautiful American smooth to Wind Beneath My Wings by Bette Midler with her dance partner Karen Hauer. Speaking of the dance ahead of the performance, Jayde explained why this dance and the song to which they performed it was so close to her heart.
"Wind Beneath My Wings was made famous by Bette Midler who was mine and my sister, Jenna's, favourite musician when we were growing up," she said. "We used to have CDs of Bette all over the house and we 'd make up dances to Bette in our parents' living room. One of Bette's songs, Wind Beneath My Wings, the lyrics to that song really resonate. She was two years older than me and she died 11 years ago."
Jayde's older sister Jenna passed away after doctors discovered a tumour in her brain after she suffered a seizure. Jayde said: "I didn't just lose a sister, I lost a best friend, I lost my dance partner. Her telling me to make everyone laugh was my calling."
Following the performance, the entire room was on their feet, with all - including the judges - feeling the impact of the emotion from the routine. Motsi Mabuse started off the judges comments by saying: "Thank you very much for sharing your story and sharing your sister with us. I think she would be so proud of you at this moment. And it was just beautiful to see, beautiful to watch."
Turning to the panel's head judge, Shirley Ballas too was seen to be moved with tears in her eyes.
She said: "Jayde, I feel like you're my hero. I think everthing I've watched about you and everything I see on the floor... I think you represented this number with everybody who's lost a loved one and I'm just really really emotional. It was graceful, beautiful lifts - you do it your way. I'm sure your sister will be proud of you, but thank you for doing that for everybody who's lost a loved one."
Following this, Jayde herself was seen to be getting choked up after Claudia Winkleman, who presents the show with Tess Daly, spoke of how much the dance meant to Jayde, referencing her sister and asking how she found the experience.
Holding it together, Jayde said: "Something she said to my mum before she died, she said: 'Do you think people will forget me?' and you just said her name on this. It's incredible. It's amazing . I'm so lucky that I get to do this because so many people lose people and grief is so difficult and is so personal and to be able to keep the promise that we made her, that we wouldn't let people forget her, is the most incredible gift anyone could ever give me or my family."
Receiving her highest score of the series so far, 31, viewers were quick to support the comedian for sharing her story and doing such a personal performance, with many detailing how they were "in bits".
@Jo_Hornby wrote: "The strength it must have taken Jayde then. Goodness me. #Strictly " while @SuzeTwelve commented: "This was absolutely beautiful to watch from Jayde and Karen. Deserved more than 31 #Strictly"
@FionaMHogg also said: "The tears are blinding me…such a gorgeous dance from Jayde and a wonderful way to remember her sister…".
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