Glittering prize up for grabs for two Cork dancers

FORMER Miss World Rosanna Davison, journalist Eileen Dunne, and Cork TikTok star Miriam Mullins are among the celebrities taking part in the new season of Dancing With The Stars.

The show returns to our TV screens on RTÉ1 tomorrow at 6.30pm, and as well as Mullins, 27, from Garryvoe, Cork has another contestant.

Former jockey Davy Russell, from Youghal, has also thrown his hat into the ring for the 2024 series.

The Grand National-winning and Cheltenham Cup-winning jockey said of the show: “It’s exciting. And it’s so very different to what I’m used to, it’s a new venture. It was really hard to keep it a secret from friends and family, I have itchy fingers and I’m ready to pull the trigger.

“My wife always told me we need to get dancing lessons before our wedding. I said no, and now I’m regretting this decision.”

Mullins, who presents a show on Red FM, is known for her comedy sketches on TikTok, but will be hoping to avoid making anyone laugh on the dance floor.

“It’s such an amazing opportunity, a chance to meet loads of new people, make loads of new friends, and hopefully show off my dancing skills, I don’t know if I have them or not,” she said. “We’ll see! I’ve done the odd TikTok dance here and there. That mightn’t have gone down very well with the audience, but this is a different type of dancing.

Model and mother-of-three Rosanna Davison has previously taken part in Irish reality TV shows such as Celebrity Salon and Celebrity Come Dine with Me. Now putting Dancing With The Stars on her CV, she is hoping to add the glitter ball to her Miss World crown.

The 11 well-known figures team up with a professional dancer to perform a live routine every week. Each pairing will have a different dancing genre to master every week, from the Charleston to hip hop, and they’ll have just seven days to perfect their routine before performing live to the nation.

Each celebrity couple will be scored by an expert panel of judges and the viewing public at home, with the winning couple claiming the coveted glitter ball trophy at the end of the series.

The other celebs taking part this year are David Whelan of the band Wild Youth, Belfast drag queen Blu Hydrangea, broadcaster and early favourite to win Laura Fox, Fair City actor Shane Quigley Murphy, TV presenter Katja Mia, actor Rory Cowan, and Paralympian Jason Smyth.

Host Jennifer Zamparelli will be joined on presenting duties by co-host Doireann Garrihy.