Heavy A DWTS pro reacts to the death of her first partner on the show.
A “Dancing With the Stars” pro is mourning the loss of the first person that she competed with on the program. On April 27, 2023, Kym Herjavec learned that Jerry Springer had died. The news was reported by TMZ, the outlet confirming that Springer died at his home in Chicago after a “brief illness.”
Hours later, Herjavec took to her Instagram Stories to say that her heart was “utterly broken.” She then uploaded a photo of her and Springer and wrote a caption to accompany the post.
“I met Jerry when I first came to the US for my first season with DWTS . I was lucky enough to be partnered with Jerry and I instantly adored him. He became like a father figure to me. He was so smart, kind, self deprecating and just a great man,” Herjavec captioned an Instagram post on her feed on April 27, 2023.
“He wanted to do DWTS to learn to dance for his daughter’s wedding! I will treasure the memory of teaching Katie and Jerry a waltz for her wedding for the rest of my life. The love they had for each other was so beautiful. He will be missed but I feel so lucky to have known him the way I did. Rest in peace sweet Jerry,” she added.
Here’s what you need to know:
Kym Herjavec & Jerry Springer Finished the Competition in 5th Place
Herjavec, nee Johnson, joined the cast of “Dancing With the Stars” as a pro in season 3. She and Springer were partnered together and had an instant bond that developed into a friendship. Week over week, viewers watched as Springer put himself out there and he showed great improvement.
He was eliminated after dancing the Foxtrot, which ended up being his best-scored dance of the season. Springer and Herjavec obtained 8s across the board from Carrie Ann Inaba, Len Goodman, and Bruno Tonioli.
“What was fun about it is that I was totally outside my comfort zone. And I, as much as possible, tried to turn it into my comfort zone by instead of selling my dancing, which was hopeless, I would tell jokes. … I would keep begging each week, ‘Please don’t vote for me,'” Springer recalled during an interview on the “Behind the Velvet Rope” podcast in 2022.
Kym Herjavec Has Lost 3 People Close to Her in April 2023
It has been a very tough April for Herjavec, who has mourned the loss of three dear friends. Aside from Springer, Herjavec also posted a tribute to longtime DWTS judge Len Goodman who died just days before Springer.
“Heavens gates are covered in 10 paddles and mirror balls today. Nothing made you feel better than getting a 10 from Len. He was a class act with a cheeky grin and quick wit. You will be so missed. Rest In Peace sweet Len,” Herjavec captioned an Instagram post on April 24, 2023.
Two days earlier, she posted a tribute to Barry Humphries on her Instagram feed.
“So sad to hear of the passing of the icon Barry Humphries. I had the honor of being an Ednaette with my best friend Mel. We toured Australia and had the best time getting to know Barry, Who was such a wonderful man. He had the most incredible stories and cared for all of the cast and crew so much. Sending all my love to his family,” she wrote.
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