Years after The Brady Bunch mom, Florence Henderson, passed, Barry Williams appeared on Dancing With The Stars to honor her wish. Barry revealed that his late on-screen mom encouraged him to participate in the ABC competition, so he dedicated his latest performance to her.
Barry, who got an overall score of 25 out of 40, earned his first-ever seven score from judge Michael Strahan on the recent Motown Night episode. True to his impressive dance, he qualified for the next round— Florence must be proud. “Being familiar with my theatrical background, she felt that I could do very well,” he said, recalling how she talked him into competing.
Florence inspired Barry to compete
View this post on Instagram
Barry, who is now partnered with pro Peta Murgatroyd, revealed that Florence encouraged him to partake after she was eliminated from the show in 2010. “I try and channel Florence Henderson, who encouraged me to pursue an invitation for Dancing With the Stars…and at that time, she had just been eliminated and asked if I would carry the torch,” he recalled.
RELATED: Barry Williams Of ‘The Brady Bunch’, 68, Calls Show Years ‘Very Intense’
Judge Derek Hough was also among the judges, telling Barry from the table, “You are winning over this audience, and you are winning over us.” In this season’s premiere, Barry’s Brady Bunch sister, Maureen McCormick, was in the audience as he did the foxtrot to a song from the sitcom, “It’s a Sunshine Day.”
Florence was the fifth to get dropped
Florence appeared on Dancing With The Stars during the 11th season and was the fifth contestant to be dismissed, alongside her partner Corky Ballas. After getting dropped, she called the show ‘one of the best-produced shows I’ve ever been on.’ “The best crew, hair, makeup, costumes, even the judges are the best,” she added.
Being a big fan of the show, she returned in 2016 as a spectator just days before her death to surprise her TV daughter, Maureen. “You were fabulous. I’m so proud,” she had told Maureen while blowing her kisses. Only a few days later, Florence died of congestive heart failure at the age of 82.
Barry expressed his shock at the news of her death during an interview with a CBS affiliate. “I was just waking up when I got the news. It stunned me. It still has. Florence’s passing is very unexpected,” he said, praising her as his “mother, as a professional, as a mentor.”