'I don't know what I'd do without the show': Alexandra Burke admits Strictly Come Dancing has helped her cope with the death of her mother
Alexandra Burke has said that her joy at appearing on Strictly Come Dancing left her feeling guilty following her mother’s death.
The singer, 29, said that during one of her recent performances on the BBC One show, which saw her dance a jive with professional partner Gorka Marquez, the 'emotion got too much for me'.
Alexandra received a near-perfect score from the judges for the dance routine to Tina Turner’s Proud Mary - 39 out of 40 - and broke down in tears during the live show as she said she wished her mother was there with her.
Scroll down for video
Emotional: Alexandra Burke has said that her joy at appearing on Strictly Come Dancing left her feeling guilty following her mother’s death
The pop star’s mother Melissa Bell died on August 28, the day the stars filmed the Strictly launch show.
She told the Radio Times: 'If I could lock up my grief and my emotions in a box, I would.
'I’m not somebody who wants to cry on TV, believe me. It’s the last thing I want to do and I’ve tried really hard not to, but following our jive the emotion just got too much for me.
Loss: Alexandra received a near-perfect score from the judges for the dance routine to Tina Turner’s Proud Mary - 39 out of 40 - and broke down in tears during the live show as she said she wished her mother was there with her
Opening up: 'I’m not somebody who wants to cry on TV, believe me. It’s the last thing I want to do and I’ve tried really hard not to, but following our jive the emotion just got too much for me,' she told The Radio Times
She added: 'I wasn’t that happy with it in rehearsal and I wasn’t expecting to perform it that well or get the high scores I did, so that minute and 37 seconds on the dance floor felt electric.
Read all about it: The full interview is available in the current issue of The Radio Times
'It was the happiest I have been for a very long time. But then I saw my brother in the audience on the screen and, within a split second, my delight turned to overwhelming sadness as I imagined my mum sitting alongside him.'
'I immediately felt guilty for feeling such joy.'
Alexandra said that Gorka also cried after the show had ended, because 'he was upset that I hadn’t told him how much I’ve been struggling'.
She said: 'But, to be honest, I don’t want to bring my personal stuff to rehearsals. The rehearsal room has become my sanctuary - it is a happy place where I force myself to leave my grief at the door and focus on being creative and having fun.'
Alexandra said she is 'genuinely having a wonderful experience on the show, and I don’t know what I would do without it right now'.
Soul II Soul singer Melissa was diagnosed with kidney failure while Burke was competing on The X Factor in 2008.
The new issue of Radio Times is on sale now.
Close: Soul II Soul singer Melissa was diagnosed with kidney failure while Burke was competing on The X Factor in 2008
Most watched News videos
- Eerie moment 'ghost of Lord Nelson's wife' seen aboard HMS Victory
- Donald Trump Jr posts video of daughter Chloe golfing
- Horrifying moment Cirque de Soleil performer falls to his death
- Aftermath of aerialist's shocking fall at Cirque de Soleil
- Moment pickup truck crashes head on with Land Rover Discovery on A61
- China Eastern airline denies flight attendants enjoyed a wild orgy
- Philadelphia Zoo shares video of gorilla walking on two legs
- Huge snowfall causes disruption in South West of England
- Heroic moment two drivers chase down and stop hit and run criminals
- This is the creepy Chucky-like doll video that's going viral
- Georgia man finds strange sea creature washed up on beach
- £200,000 Ferrari 458 Spider crushed in scrapyard
- Laughing schoolteacher tells 10-year-old black pupil 'I...
- The teenage BOY scarred for life after a 16-year-old girl...
- He's watching you! Creepy 'Devil doll' sitting on a...
- Sex and the City star Cynthia Nixon announces she is...
- Is Nessie dead in America? Mystery as sea creature...
- Jim Carrey paints President Trump as the 'Wicked Witch of...
- Cats only upstairs! Owner keeps her dog away from her...
- The last glimpse of Manson: Cult leader is cremated after...
- Thug, 22, who was caught on CCTV dragging 12-year-old...
- Hit-and-run truck driver tries to flee after mowing down...
- Starbucks customer is frothing with rage after staff come...
- EXCLUSIVE: Affluenza teen Ethan Couch is a changed man...
- ‘Complete airheads!’ Bemused viewers slam The One Show...
- 'How much do you get paid, black b****?' Centrelink...
- Only EXECUTIONS and my wall will stop the opioid crisis...
- Soccer's Little Britain moment: Wheelchair football fan...
- Gogglebox and CBB star George Gilbey 'is charged with...
- Social workers 'rushed returning murdered Ellie Butler,...