Rhys Stephenson was the first celebrity to take to the dancefloor in this week’s Strictly Come Dancing semi-final – and Claudia Winkleman had a nice surprise for him following his impressive Tango.
After commenting that all of his family were in attendance to support him apart from one, the host revealed that Rhys’ dad had recorded a special video message for him in his absence.
And Rhys was visibly touched by the gesture – first exclaiming “No way!” and then tearing up after watching the message.
“Hello Rhys,” the message began. “This is Dad, sorry I can’t be there this week but as you know I’m very proud of you. Having a son like you is a dream of any parent, I’m happy, proud, and blessed that you are my son.
“Keep dancing, Good luck Rhys, I’m, proud of you,” he said.
Asked what the messages of support meant to him, Rhys responded, “It just meant the world because I think it shows they’re not just watching our dancing, they’re loving our partnership and how we’ve grown and bonded.
“It really has been of siblings and it’s kind of grown into parent and child but throughout this there’s always been love and there’s always been teamwork.”
Rhys and Nancy scored four nines for their Tango, giving them a total of 36 points as they look to follow the success of last week – when they finished joint top of the judges’ leaderboard.
The Strictly Come Dancing results show airs tomorrow night 7:20pm on BBC One. Want something else to watch? Check out our full TV Guide or visit our Entertainment hub for the latest news.