Johnny Ward has paid tribute to his late father on the anniversary of his passing.
The former Fair City actor took to Instagram to remember his dad, who tragically passed away in March 2019 after a long battle with cancer.
“One year away from us,” Johnny wrote alongside a sweet picture of himself and his dad.
“This man, father, mentor, teacher and friend really was the greatest. A massive, massive thank you to all of you who have been there for me, as well as my family throughout the last year.”
Johnny tragically lost his father during his stint on RTE’s Dancing With The Stars, making it all the way to the grand final, before Mairead Ronan beat him to the Glitterball.
He considered leaving the show to be there with his family, but his dad urged him not to.
Speaking to VIP Magazine, Johnny told us; “He said to me, ‘Do it for me, please try and please don’t even think about quitting the competition’.”
The actor revealed he’s been leaning on his colleagues these tough times, and appreciates their support.
“It’s a really tight bond,” he said. “I have made friends for life. They are people who make you feel sane again when you’ve had a tough week.”