I’d love a bit of murder on the dancefloor
Crime drama role hopes for Leah after DWTS exit
AXED Dancing With The Stars celebrity Leah O’rourke has admitted she wants to move away from comedy and land roles in “gritty crime dramas”.
The Co Down actress, 34, played the role of Jenny Joyce in the hit sitcom Derry Girls, which skyrocketed her profile.
Leah tried her hand at dancing on the RTE One show but failed to impress the judges and the public on Sunday night as she was voted the first celebrity to be eliminated.
She said: “I need my acting agent to put me up for auditions.
“They kept the dates free in case I got further in the competition. I would love to do a really gritty crime drama.
“I haven’t worked in theatre, the last time I was on stage was in drama school.
“I have auditioned for theatre a couple of times, but I haven’t got it. It is not something I would rule out.
“I would love to do something totally different. Like I know comedy is the field I have ended up in, which I love but it would be amazing to do like a serious drama like a murder mystery or something.”
Speaking about DWTS, Leah said she has no regrets signing up to do the series.
She added: “You only live once and a show like this is not going to come around again.
“If I had turned it down I would have always been looking back wondering what it would have been like.
DREAM
“For me, looking back, that first paso doble felt like a dream. It is mad.
“If I have another role where there is dance involved, it won’t be as scary now.
“I never thought I would be asked to do something like this ever. I remember watching it thinking I could never do it.
“When the offer came in all my friends and family said it was too big of an opportunity to turn down and to give it a try.
“Being paired with such an amazing and patient pro really helped me. It wasn’t easy, but I pushed through.”
Speaking on The Ryan Tubridy Show on RTE Radio 1, she said there were no hard feelings about being voted out.
She said: “I’m doing good. I had great fun last night. We all went out afterwards and I’m feeling good today.
“All of the judges were lovely and we had great craic on the dancefloor so it was a nice vibe.” Leah said she had an inkling she would be getting sent home but said there was still a “glimmer of hope” she would stay longer.
She said: “I kind of had an idea it might be John [Nolan] and I because we were bottom of the leaderboard.
“I knew I wasn’t a dancer. I had my goodbye speech prepared, but still when they called my name I needed five minutes to think, and I didn’t have any time to do so.
“But, even though you know, there’s always a glimmer of hope.”
That first paso doble felt like a dream. It is mad
LEAH O’ROURKE ON HER TIME ON DWTS