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THREE MORE DANCING with the Stars celebrities have been revealed for the newest season of the show, which will begin early next month.
Paudie Moloney from The Traitors Ireland, former Eurovision winner Niamh Kavanagh and Ireland AM host Eric Roberts are some of the contestants already announced for the upcoming season.
RTÉ announced on The Late Late Show tonight that Olympian Philip Doyle, musician Tolü Makay and podcaster Amber Wilson will be joining the lineup.
Host Patrick Kielty interviewed new head judge Oti Mabuse, the three new dancers and Kavanagh, who was announced last Sunday.
Doyle is an Olympic bronze medal-winning rower and a qualified doctor from Banbridge in Co Down.
Doyle said his dance experience is “very limited” but he’s looking forward to promoting rowing on tv.
“I’m feeling a little nervous for the show. As an athlete, we always expect the highest performance from ourselves, and this is unknown territory, so I don’t want to expect too much either. My friends are excited and looking forward to watching me, but I think they will enjoy the steps I get wrong more than the ones I get right,” he said.
“My motivation for taking part is to elevate rowing as a sport in Ireland. We do awfully well with the medals but are poor at promoting the sport, and I also just love any form of challenge. I also really get a buzz off pushing myself out of my comfort zone.”
Makay is a Nigerian-Irish singer, songwriter, and performer. Her music fuses alternative pop, soul, and deeply personal storytelling. Her work has been spotlighted on the BBC, and her songs have topped Irish radio charts.
Born in Nigeria, Mackay moved to Ireland as a child, she grew up in the midlands and her life straddling two cultures has influenced her work.
Mackay said she’s looking forward to stepping outside her comfort zone.
“I’m learning how important it is to be intentional about joy. As an independent artist, I’ve spent years with my head down, building, experimenting, learning, and pushing myself, and recently I’ve been craving more life outside the grind,” she said.
“[The show] came at the perfect time. It ticks every box for me: joy, challenge, and growth. It lets me step outside my comfort zone, bring music and movement together, and deepen my artistry as a performer.”
She also said she can’t wait for the theatrical aspects of the show.
“I’m looking forward to the glam. Getting my hair and makeup done, stepping into those dresses swishing and swooshing around the floor, I live for that! I love the theatre of getting ready for a show, so this is right up my alley,” she said.
Wilson co-hosts the podcast Vogue & Amber with her sister Vogue Williams.
Raised in Howth, Co Dublin, Amber has a background in art history, psychology, and PR and marketing, having worked with several high-profile Irish brands. Amber has also been open about her personal journey, including her experience of coming out to her family.
In a series first Amber will be paired with a female pro dancer during her time on Dancing With The Stars.
She described the show as a “once-in-a-lifetime experience” and said she’s looking forward to increasing inclusive representation on screen.
“When I was growing up, I didn’t have anyone on screen that I could really relate to. I’ve never seen myself as a role model, but I believe it’s important for audiences to see diverse and authentic representation,” she said.
“Being part of the first female DWTS partnership on Irish television is something I’m deeply proud of, and I feel privileged to have the opportunity to stand on that stage and represent my community.”
Twelve well-known figures will pair up with professional dancers for the competition, which is hosted by Jennifer Zamparelli and Laura Fox.
Each celebrity couple will be scored by an expert panel of four judges: Oti Mabuse, Brian Redmond, Arthur Gourounlian and Karen Byrne, and as well as the public.
The first episode of Dancing with the Stars will air on Sunday 4 January.
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