‘We spend so much time together but I don’t even know if Salome is single’
GAA hero on ballroom romance
GAA legend Paul Brogan has said he can see how the Strictly curse might strike contestants on Dancing With The Stars.
The Dubs’ hero, who is single, said: “You spend so much time together – five to eight hours with the one person. It hasn’t happened to me.”
Brogan, 36, said he hasn’t a clue whether his pro dance partner Salome Chachua is single.
He revealed: “I haven’t actually asked her, believe it or not. We focus on the dancing. You have to get on with your dance partner.”
With a sizzling samba and last week’s romantic waltz behind him, this week Brogan will perform the high-energy Charleston – as Hercules.
He said: “I played
Croke Park and this is way worse. Give me Croke Park any day of the week.
“Especially the
Charleston this week, you’re covered in sweat after it, you’re tired and you want to go home at the end of the session.
“GAA is more intense for a shorter period of time and you get recovery.
“My legs are sore today but I can’t take a day off so had a massage last night to sort out my calves.” Although pre-season GAA training has started back, Brogan hasn’t the time or the energy for playing ball – and doesn’t want an injury to ruin his chances of taking home the Glitterball. He added: “I don’t miss that running around in the muck. I’d pick dancing in a studio over that in January. It’s completely different. In GAA, you don’t need the flexibility you need for dancing.
“We’re stretching every session. Salome has me go through a regime of stretching – it’s honestly like a form of torture.
“My back, my neck, my legs and everything but there’s a notable difference compared from where I started.”
He said brothers Bernard and Alan are still slagging him.
Brogan said: “When I got the phone call, I rang my two brothers. I said, ‘what do you think?’ They said ‘ah you’ll get plenty of stick but why not?’ – and they said ‘you can’t dance as well, which is a slight problem for a dancing competition’. They said ‘go for it – what’s the worst that can happen?’
“If they stop slagging me, I’ll be wondering what’s going on. It’s all love. Of course there’s going to be a few digs.
“I can’t dance. Whatever I’m doing now, you want to see me eight weeks ago. It was like learning how to walk again, so you have to expect a bit of stick with that.”
But Brogan fans will be delighted to learn the All Ireland winner isn’t at all fazed by judges comments on his tight trousers.
He revealed: “I said to the [wardrobe] girls, ‘no, we’re keeping the trousers tight’ – that’s not going to change just because the judges are giving me stick about it.
“For the samba, originally the shirt was meant to come off but production said ‘no, we can’t do that…’ I love the outfits.
“I am very competitive – if I make a few more weeks I’ll be delighted. Up until 10 weeks ago, no one would have ever thought I’d do something like this.”
Dancing With The Stars is on Sundays at 6.30pm on RTE One.