Bernard has a ‘skip’ in his step
RTÉ sure knows how to tease. When Dancing With The Stars returned last night for its second series (and we have ‘series’ in this part of the world, not ‘seasons’), only the five male competitors took the floor, while the women will have their chance to shine next week.
Even so, it took a good hour and 20 minutes before we got what we tuned in for: our first look at GAA commentary legend Marty Morrissey strutting his stuff. As it happens, his quickstep with partner Ksenia Zsikhotska was worth the wait. Grinding his feet into the floor and then leaping heavenward, Marty resembled nothing more than a novice stallion nervously but excitedly completing his first trip over the fences at Leopardstown. That he did so to Good Looking Woman by Joe Dolan surely guaranteed his place in the next round, even though we have to wait a fortnight for the first elimination.
He wasn’t the best of the bunch, but he wasn’t the worst either. That dubious honour fell to Bernard O’Shea of 2FM and Bridget And Eamon fame, who danced a tango with Valeria Milova. Bernard’s footwork wasn’t bad, but he had the posture of man who had just climbed out of a skip after accidentally sleeping there following a night in the pub.
Olympic walking medallist Rob Heffernan opened the show with an enthusiastic but slightly uncoordinated jive, kicking his legs randomly in every direction like an actor in a motion-capture movie beating up a small but vicious cartoon adversary.
Jake ‘I’m probably best known as Nathan’s brother’ Carter (I wouldn’t be surprised if that whole mouthful appears on his birth certificate) performed a salsa with fan favourite Karen Byrne, whose partnership last year with Des Cahill proved the highlight of the series. Jake is only 19 and full of beans and he lifted and swung Karen high over his head several times just to remind us of the benefits of youth. If he makes it to the final, there is a chance, albeit a very slim one, he’ll be on RTÉ more times this year than Nathan.
THE best of the men, though – and this came as something of a surprise – was former Munster and Ireland rugby star Tomás O’Leary, whose elegant foxtrot with Giulia Dotta marked him out as one to watch. Sadly, though, his presence also allowed host Amanda Byram foxtrot out many of her trademark puns – he ‘tackled’ the dance very well, and should have been on Strictly ‘Scrum’ Dancing. Laugh? I almost did.
Amanda was lucky to make it through the show at all. She stumbled in her stillettos at the very start, and we almost were treated to Dancing With The Stairs.
Nicky Byrne also was back as cohost, handling the post-performance interviews, which always serve no purpose other than as time fillers.
Just to give us some indication of what might be in store next week, the six women did a group dance, and camogie star and television presenter Anna Geary served notice that she too intends to be in the mix at the bitter end with the sort of hip action refined on the pitch. She certainly won’t be left half back (there you go, Amanda – you can have that one for free).
As for the judges, well, Brian Redmond returned in familiar waspish form, while Loraine Barry was her usual conciliatory self.
Darren Bennett, the show’s choreographer and executive producer, had to stand in for the missing Julian Benson. Nicky Byrne told us Julian was ill, and of course we wish him well, but it was hard to shake the suspicion the real reason was that the wardrobe department was just three Quality Street wrappers away from finishing his latest jacket.