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Wales Online
Wales Online
Lifestyle
Anna Lewis

Strictly's Will Bayley just made all the judges cry with his performance

Strictly judge Motsi Mabuse was left too emotional to speak tonight after one contestant's moving performance.

Paralympian Will Bayley left the judging panel and viewers at home welling up after his emotional routine with partner Janette.

In a clip shown before their couple's choice routine, the table tennis champion described how he was born with arthrogryposis - a condition which affects his hands and feet.

The 31-year-old said: "I didn't think I would struggle as much as I am with just balancing and things like that but you know the hard things you go through make Saturday all the more enjoyable.

"I had a great childhood but it was really challenging. I was born with a condition called arthrogryposis which affects my hands and my feet.

"I had to have [my feet] broken and put back in place but there was nothing the surgeons could do with my hands.

"When I was seven I went to St Ormond's Street and was diagnosed with Hodgkin's lymphoma. As a seven-year-old to have cancer was so scary but the doctors and nurses were just amazing, they gave me positivity."

Will Bayley and partner Janette Manrara moved the judges to tears (BBC/Guy Levy)

Will's mum Chrissy Bayley added: "When he was born his toes were facing each other and his feet were over.

"He did have a lot of corrective surgery and didn't walk until he was three and a half but where there's a will there's a way so he used to walk on his knees."

Before the dance Will and Janette took the chance to visit the ward where the gold medal winner was treated at St Ormond's Street to meet with current patients.

He also paid tribute to his late grandmother, who gave the athlete a table tennis to boost his confidence as a child.

After the performance, to Lukas Graham's 7 Years, the pair were given a score of 32.

Welling up at the end of the performance judge Motsi Mabuse was left too emotional to speak, before receiving a hug from the Strictly star.

Guest judge Alfonso Ribeiro told the pair that it bought “chills”, before adding: "That was incredibly inspiring… there are young boys and girls who watched that performance who know that anything is possible."

And new judge Shirley Ballas said: "I'm sure every child is looking at every children's hospital is looking at that today and has discovered no matter what you put your mind to you can do it in extreme circumstances.

"You give the whole nation hope."

Strictly Come Dancing: The Results, airs tomorrow at 7:15pm on BBC One

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