DANCING On Ice judge Ashley Banjo was left in tears last night as Perri Kiely performed a skate in honour of their dance troupe Diversity.
Ashley, 31, found himself choked up and misty-eyed after watching 24-year-old Perri and his professional partner Vanessa Bauer glide around the ice in the semi-final.
Each of the contestants was asked to choose a song for their second routine of the night that meant something special to them.
Perri picked a classical ballad from the balcony scene in Romeo and Juliet, as his dance group Diversity – which was created by Ashley and is mentored by him – play it at the end of their shows.
The pair received a perfect score of 40 for their performance and Ashley was unable to hide his emotions.
Struggling to get his words out, he told the professional street dancer: “Um…I’m here, our squad is over there, Pel, but you were out there on your own.
“Seeing you become the man you’ve become…I’m so proud bro.”
He continued: “Obviously that’s personal, but just as a skater as well, what you’re achieving and pulling off in this competition…I just don’t know what to say.”
Ashley wasn’t the only one who was emotional.
Perri also had difficulty maintaining his composure as he chatted to DOI hosts Phillip Schofield and Holly Willoughby after completing the routine.
He said: “I know that [the song] is not personal to just me, it represents so much to so many people.
“This is an achievement on my own. I’m so happy to be here…I’m so grateful for everything.”
Head judge Christopher Dean, meanwhile, told him: “It just came from the heart, we can feel it – Ashley especially, over there… it was sublime.”
Perri will now go head-to-head with Joe Swash and Libby Clegg and their partners in next week’s final.
Having finished top of the leader board in the semi-final, Perri is tipped to take the crown.
