Bláthnaid: I’d like to present Strictly on RTÉ
BLÁTHNAID Ní Chofaigh says there are rumours that RTÉ wants to produce its own version of Strictly Come Dancing – and that she’d like to host it.
The show has proved a massive hit for the BBC, beating X Factor in the UK ratings during its most recent season.
Bláthnaid, 44, who previously hosted the All Ireland Talent Show, told the Irish Daily Mail: ‘I absolutely love Strictly. I can dance – I won my local Strictly.
‘There’s talk... I’d love to host it but I wouldn’t want to be the Tess Daly – I’d like to be the Claudia Winkleman.
‘She’s herself and good fun. I really like her. I love live TV, I’d enjoy that. I think the whole production of Strictly is fantastic.’
Daniel O’Donnell and Westlife’s Nicky Byrne have both contested on Strictly in Britain, helping to draw large Irish audiences to the show.
And there are at least a couple of Irish stars who would be wellsuited to working on the show in some capacity.
Voice Of Ireland co-presenter Eoghan McDermott is a trained dancer, as is Poldark actor Aidan Turner. Turner studied ballroom and Latin American dancing for ten years before turning his attention to the screen. A spokesman from RTÉ told the Irish Daily Mail last night that it does not confirm new projects or discussion about future productions, but added: ‘We are always looking at different programmes and potential projects.’ Rumours have also been circulating for some time about an Irish version of Britain’s Got Talent.
Louis Walsh has expressed an interest in taking the show here.
Comic Mario Rosenstock said this week that he would love to be a judge if the show were to be made here.
Bláthnaid said she liked the idea of Ireland’s Got Talent and that it could learn from her old show, The All-Ireland Talent Show.
‘As regards the whole idea of the province thing in the All Ireland Talent Show, I wonder was it too much, county against county?’ she said.
Bláthnaid is currently studying for a degree in women and gender studies at UCD.