You’ve met the stars... now for their partners!
THE celebs have been named and paired – and on Sunday night they will take their partners.
While last year’s Dancing With The Stars winner Valeria Milova will try to waltz back to her winning ways with 2FM’s Bernard O’Shea, all eyes will be on Ksenia Zsikhotska with GAA commentator Marty Morrissey.
And after love blossomed last year between model Thalia Heffernan and dancer Ryan McShane, who will be the romantic interests among this lot?
MARTY MORRISSEY AND KSENIA ZSIKHOTSKA
MARTY has been mooted as this year’s Des Cahill – the struggling hoofer who wins our hearts, if not our heads. But the top GAA commentator may surprise a few critics. He steps out with Ksenia who reached last year’s semifinal with Home Town singer Dayl Cronin.
ROBERT HEFFERNAN AND EMILY BARKER
SPORTS star Robert, recently crowned the Athlete of the Year, may have to keep his distance, as pro-dancer Emily worked with Hughie Maughan last year, and so she may still have tan stains on her clothes from that pairing.
ALANNAH BEIRNE AND VITALI KOZMIN
MODEL Alannah only made it by the skin of her teeth, after being drafted in when ex-Miss Ireland Aoife Walsh had to bow out with a fractured toe. But Alannah has high hopes as Vitali made it to last year’s final with actress Aoibhin Garrihy.
ANNA GEARY AND KAI WIDDRINGTON
CORK’S All-Ireland winning camogie champion and ex-Rose of Tralee will have a puck at taking the points with Britain’s Got Talent veteran Kai, who mentored funny woman Katherine Lynch to Week Nine last year.
JAKE CARTER AND KAREN BYRNE
KAREN’S choreography of the ‘Dessie Swim’ dance – with the aforementioned Mr Cahill, in Week Four last time – is seared into our consciousness. But she may want to keep it country this time with Nathan Carter’s kid brother, 19-year-old singer Jake.
MAIA DUNPHY AND ROBERT ROWINSKI
TV personality Maia, who is married to comedian Johnny Vegas, will take to the floor with new professional Robert Rowinski. He competed in the Polish equivalent of DWTS, winning the final series.
DEIRDRE O’KANE & JOHN EDWARD NOLAN
JOHN blew up a storm last time out with windswept RTÉ reporter Terese Mannion, making it to Week Eight. And he will want to step up the pace in this year’s competition with the awardwinning actor and comedian Deirdre.
BERNARD O’SHEA AND VALERIA MILOVA
IT SEEMS dancing is no joke for funnyman Bernard because he’s teamed up with Valeria, who danced Kerry GAA star Aidan O’Mahony to victory last year. She also represented Estonia at the World and European Latin-American Championships.
ERIN MCGREGOR AND RYAN MCSHANE
UFC motormouth Conor McGregor will be singing Erin go brách as his model sister steps out with Ryan McShane, who partnered Denise McCormack last time, taking her all the way to the final.
TOMÁS O’LEARY AND GIUILA DOTTA
FORMER Munster rugby player Tomás will compete for the trophy with Giulia. The prodancer, who is in a relationship with Kai Widdrington, left last year’s competition in a dramatic elimination with Des Bishop.
NORAH CASEY AND CURTIS PRITCHARD
NORAH steps into a whole new dragon’s den with dance veteran Curtis. He paired with Thalia Heffernan last year, is dating fellow dancer Emily Barker and his brother AJ competes in the UK version of the show.