Maia Dunphy is the third celebrity confirmed to take part in RTÉ’s Dancing With The Stars in the new year.
The TV star will take to the dance floor alongside Bridget & Eamon star Bernard O’Shea, as well as actress and comedian Deirdre O’Kane.
Maia joined Ryan Tubridy on RTÉ Radio 1 to discuss why she decided to take the leap of faith and join the show.
Maia said, “I’m incredibly nervous and very excited – as I’m sure everyone else is as well. The only dancing I do is throwing shapes at weddings. I did ballet when I was four – but my career was over by the age of six.”
“If I didn’t say yes to this I was going to be a Christmas elf for Santa’s grotto over the Christmas season – so I thought this was a better option! I also wanted to have a valid reason to buy active wear because I don’t have any,” she added.
Maia is the third of 11 hopeful celebrities to be announced.
Amanda Byram and Nicky Byrne will return once again to present the new series of Dancing with the Stars.
Airing on RTÉ One for 12 weeks from 6.30pm Sunday 7th January, a total of 11 celebrities will pair up with their professional dancing partners as they step out of their comfort zones and onto the dancefloor, each hoping to claim the much-coveted glitter ball trophy at the end of the series.
Each pairing will have a different dancing genre to master every week, from the paso doble to the waltz and they’ll have just seven days to perfect their routine before performing live to the nation.
Also returning this year is their expert panel of judges including Brian Redmond, Loraine Barry and Julian Benson. Once again the celebrities and their dancers will be scored by the judges and the viewing public at home.
Can’t Stop Dancing, the preview show for Dancing with the Stars hosted by Bláthnaid Treacy, will be back on Thursday, 4th January at 9.30pm on RTÉ2.
Each week Can’t Stop Dancing will go behind the scenes to capture all the glitz, glamour and gossip back stage and get the low down from the judges, the professional dancers and the stars.
Dancing with the Stars is produced by ShinAwil for RTÉ.
