The night before the biggest performance of his life, George Clarke wasn’t thinking about trophies, scores or headlines. He was trying — and failing — to hold himself together.

The 26-year-old finalist broke down during a deeply moving appearance on It Takes Two, just hours before the Strictly Come Dancing grand final. Sitting alongside professional partner Alexis Warr, George became visibly overwhelmed after producers played messages from his family — a moment that stripped away any remaining sense of showbiz polish.

Unable to speak, he wiped away tears and quietly apologised. “Sorry… this is awful of me,” he said, his voice breaking — not from nerves, but from the weight of everything the journey has carried.

George admitted he has deliberately avoided thinking about the final, explaining that the scale of the moment has triggered a sense of imposter syndrome. For him, reaching this point already feels surreal — and he’s openly worried about the emotional crash that may come once the Strictly bubble bursts.

Viewers felt it instantly. Social media flooded with raw reactions as fans confessed they were crying along with him, praising his honesty, humility and vulnerability. “I’m emotional for George,” one wrote. Another added: “Please don’t cry — I can’t cope.” A third summed it up simply: “He is so loved.”

While bookmakers have tipped Karen Carney as the likely winner, George’s impact has long surpassed odds and leaderboards. His journey has been fuelled not by ambition, but by something far more personal: a promise to make his mother proud.

That devotion became unmistakable in week eight, when George performed an emotional rhumba dedicated to his mum, Nicky, who is currently undergoing treatment for breast cancer. The routine — described by many as a “love letter in motion” — reduced George and his family to tears and marked the moment the wider Strictly audience truly embraced him.

Speaking candidly, George has never hidden how deeply his mother’s diagnosis has affected him. He admits her illness now dominates family life, describing her as someone who has endured far more than she ever deserved. And this isn’t the first time she’s fought her way back — when George was just 16, she survived encephalitis after suffering a seizure, an experience that left him traumatised but in awe of her resilience.

Despite his growing fame, George’s path to the final has been anything but conventional. With no professional dance background, friends say his only previous dancing took place at university socials. That lack of training has only heightened admiration for his progress — especially as fellow finalists have faced criticism for their prior stage or performance experience.

Outside the ballroom, George boasts a vast online following — 2.4 million on TikTok and close to a million across Instagram and YouTube — and Strictly insiders believe his appeal to younger audiences could mark a turning point for the long-running show. But those closest to him say his grounded nature comes from upbringing, not algorithms.

Raised in Bristol, privately educated and university-trained, George has often chosen effort over shortcuts — even with a father in a senior role at Aardman Animations. Supporting him every step of the way is his girlfriend, model Yasmin Bennett, whom George credits with believing in him “more than I ever believed in myself.”

As for what comes next, industry whispers suggest this may only be the beginning. New television opportunities are already being discussed, and many believe George is on the cusp of becoming a breakout star beyond social media.

But on this night, none of that mattered.

Because whether or not he lifts the Glitterball, George Clarke has already won something far more meaningful — the hearts of the public, and the pride of the woman whose courage inspired every step he took on the Strictly dancefloor.