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.

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.

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.’

Following her performance, she hugged her mother in the audience and told co-host Brooke Burke Charvet: ‘For all of us, it’s been a tough week emotionally. I’m just so pleased to celebrate my dad’s life.’

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.’