Gladys Knight Leaving ‘Dancing’ With Fitness & A Special Friend In Tristan MacManus

Gladys Knight lost her footing on “Dancing with the Stars,” when she was eliminated on Tuesday night – during Motown Week — but she leaves with many gifts, including new friends and improved fitness.

“This built up your stamina?” an Access Hollywood producer asked Gladys following the elimination.

“The stamina? Yeah, absolutely,” she said. “I’ve always been kind of active… playing tennis and going to the gym and that kind of stuff, but the commitment that everybody has here, at ‘Dancing with the Stars’ — who does five hours’ worth of any kind of movement seven days a week? Nobody! It really does something for your physical being and for your health and welfare. It really does.”

Gladys’ partner, Tristan MacManus, revealed on Tuesday’s show that he actually would miss Gladys as much as he misses his homeland, Ireland, and the legendary singer said his words were immensely touching.

“That touched me more than anything that’s been said tonight,” she said.

“Oh, we won’t be in touch at all,” Tristan joked.

“It’s over,” Gladys laughed.

“No, I mean… I’d love to think that we could keep in touch,” Tristan said. “A few trips to [see Gladys in] Vegas maybe.”

“Yeah, anytime,” Gladys said.

Now that her “Dancing” career is over, Gladys will be able to focus fully on touring.

“I go back on the road tomorrow. I go to Milwaukee, I go to Minnesota and then I go to Canada and then I come back and I’m supposed to have my album finished,” she told Access of her coming plans. “So more than likely, they’re going to put me back in the studio and then after that I have other gigs coming up when I’m all on the road.”