Strictly Come Dancing’s Bruno Tonioli breaks down in tears after hearing a song that reminds him of his late mum on Desert Island Discs

STRICTLY Come Dancing's Bruno Tonioli broke down in tears as he recounted the death of his mother, Fulvia, in a touching Desert Island Discs tribute.

The flamboyant presenter, 62, showed his sensitive side as he told of the loss of his parent and other close friends during his childhood.

The Italian, whose mum stitched car seats for a living while father Werther went out to work as a bus driver, dedicated Rod Stewart's version of Beatles classic, In My Life, to her.

In July 1994, Fulvia sadly died from a heart attack at the age of 63 while his dad developed Alzheimers and passed away, aged 70, in 2001.

Talking on Kirsty Young's BBC Radio 4 show he confessed: "This song is dedicated to all the people that have passed away...

"In spite of what has happened in my life, I might have moved away - hopefully I will keep moving - but they are still part of me, they are still... I'm getting emotional."

Recounting the lyrics of the track, he added: "All these places had their moments/With lovers and friends I still can recall/Some are dead and some are living/In my life I've loved them all."

He told the former newsreader the tune, by the Fab Four, was in his view "one of the best poems ever written".

Strictly favourite Bruno was born in the north-eastern region of Italy Ferrara, where he and his family lived with his paternal grandparents until he was 12.

He re-located to London in 1975 and shot to national stardom when he became a judge on Strictly Come Dancing from the show's first episode in 2004.

Bruno achieved international success when he joined the judging panel of Dancing With The Stars (the US version of Strictly) in 2005.