28 April 2023 , 23:02
1084
0
Jerry Springer emotionally revealed performing The Waltz on Dancing With The Stars in front of his daughter was his "single happiest moment in television", in his final interview.
The much-loved talk show host died aged 79 peacefully at his home in Chicago on Thursday, with a source saying Jerry was battling pancreatic cancer after being diagnosed a few months ago.
The Jerry Springer Show host gave his last interview back in March of this year, just weeks after celebrating his 79th birthday.
On reaching his milestone, he simply said: "I was happy I reached 79."
Jerry had an impressive 27 year stint on daytime TV, but of all his memories on the small screen it was one on Dancing With The Stars in 2006 that was his favourite.
Jerry Springer hits back at rumours his show was fake and says it was '98% real'
Jerry gave his final interview in March this year (Getty Images)On week 4 of the program, the presenter finally learned the waltz with the help of pro partner Kym Johnson with his daughter in attendance.
He said: "When she came to Hollywood the night we did the waltz and then she came out of the audience, that was my single happiest moment in television. I mean that was just, it was magical."
"So that's my best memory, it was all worth it because of that," he revealed to Genevieve Hassan for podcast Celebrity Catch Up: Life After That Thing I Did.
Despite not receiving high scores from the judges, Jerry became the favourite of the season as fans voted him every week leading to him finishing fifth.
The hour-long interview took a very emotional turn, with Jerry welling up as he talked about discovering what his family went through during the Holocaust.
They discussed his appearance on BBC show Who Do You Think You Are? which aired in August 2008 as he was joined by sister Evelyn Springer.
He revealed his favourite TV moment was from Dancing With The Stars (Disney General Entertainment Content via Getty Images)
Jerry died aged 79 (NBCU Photo Bank/NBCUniversal via)Jerry explained: "Sadly in our story we wound up going to concentration camps initially and the toughest one was my mum's mum was exterminated in Chełmno and Chełmno was an extermination camp where you were only there for a night and a day."
He revealed his family were taken from their homes in Berlin.
"And this was all information we knew nothing about and among the many sad parts about this is mom and dad never knew any of this," Jerry added.
"In other words, they knew their parents had been taken, but it isn't like you're taken to a camp, you send a postcard. Your parents are taken when you're just 30 something and you have no idea where they are or what happened to that, nothing.
Jerry Springer's life after show - real name, cancellation and humble apology
"And they lived the rest of their lives never knowing what happened and here Evelyn and I, we get to find all the details."
His voice trembled as he recalled visiting the site: "And when you see it, it's just, it's unbelievable. It's just unbelievable.
He was best known for hosting The Jerry Springer Show (Corbis via Getty Images)"And remember all these people they were just killed not because anything that they did. it's just because of what they were. They happen to be Jewish."
Jerry was born in Highgate tube station, London in 1944 as the station was being used as a bomb shelter during the Second World War.
The TV star's German-Jewish family, including Jerry's parents Richard and Margot, were staying in East Finchley at the time after fleeing Nazi Germany.
Jerry and his family moved to the United States in January 1949. But Jerry regularly returned to London throughout his life.