Strictly Come Dancing star Balvinder Sopal moved audiences to tears on Saturday night as she shared the profound impact of her mother's death last year. The EastEnders actress, performing a Couple's Choice routine with professional partner Julian Caillon, dedicated her dance to her late mother Nirmal, whom she described as her 'biggest cheerleader'.
A Devastating Loss
In emotional behind-the-scenes footage aired before her performance, Balvinder revealed the depth of her grief following her mother's passing. 'Last year was a terrible year for us,' she shared. 'Losing my mum felt like and still does feel like I lost a part of me.'
The actress recalled precious moments with her mother, saying: 'Me and mum had a brilliant relationship. One of the things I loved was coming home from work, sitting down, having a cup of tea with mum wrapped in a blanket. We'd just be warm together.'
Her sister added to the tribute, confirming: 'Bal and mum were very close. It was a tough time.' The family gathering included Balvinder's sister and brother-in-law, who joined Julian in sharing memories of Nirmal.
The Decision to Join Strictly
Balvinder explained how her mother's memory directly influenced her decision to participate in the BBC competition. She confessed that before Strictly came along, she had turned down every opportunity that came her way.
'I'd said no to every single thing that came my way and then Strictly came along,' she revealed. 'I thought, yeah, I'm gonna do it, this is my yes year. And I'm gonna do it because I wanna be seen, and because mum would want me to be seen.'
Before taking to the dancefloor, Balvinder expressed her belief that her mother would be 'incredibly happy and dancing, wherever she is, shining down on me.'
An Emotional Performance
The actress and her partner delivered a stunning routine that fused Bhangra and Bollywood styles, performed to the song Sapphire by Ed Sheeran and Arijit Singh. The performance earned standing ovations from the audience, including Balvinder's brother who watched from the crowd.
Viewers at home quickly took to social media to praise both the dance and the emotional story behind it. One fan wrote: 'Balvinder, you've done your mum proud. Beautiful.'
Another commented: 'That was her best dance. Go Balvinder!!!' while a third admitted: 'Balvinder's dance made me cry. Because that meant so much to her.'
The overwhelming response from viewers echoed the sentiment that Balvinder's mother would be proud of her achievement, with one person noting: 'Watching Bal bring the joy of that dance after talking about the gut wrenching loss of her mum.'
Another supporter declared: 'Your Mum would be so proud of you!!' while one passionate fan warned: 'Balvinder did her mum so proud with that dance, so so gorgeous and full of joy!! SO BRILLIANT AND IF SHE IS IN THAT DANCE OFF TOMORROW I WILL BE FUMING WELL DONE BAL AND JULIAN!'
The emotional connection resonated deeply with the Strictly audience, with one viewer capturing the general feeling: 'Mum will be proud, I'm sure she danced with you. Your best dance yet! Well done!'
The episode aired on Saturday, November 8, 2025, with Strictly Come Dancing continuing its run on BBC One and BBC iPlayer.
