Eil give anything a go..you may as well just go for it
Ex-newsreader enjoying every moment
We realise the public vote is just as important. While we take their advice, we’ll see what the public say
EILEEN Dunne has told how her RTE newsroom colleagues inspired her to have a go at Dancing With The Stars.
And the retired newscaster, 65, revealed close pals Mary Kennedy and Anne Doyle will be in studio to cheer her on for tonight’s performance.
Eileen turned heads with a new look last Sunday, but her Cha Cha Cha failed to wow judges leaving her bottom of the leaderboard on 13 points.
Her long blonde ponytail added to the performance to Jlo’s Let’s Get Loud, however Brian Redmond ruled there was “room to improve”.
But ahead of tonight’s contest, Eileen shrugged: “They [the judges] know what they’re talking about so we have to take it on board.
“We realise that the public vote is just as important. While we take their advice we’ll wait to see what the public say as well.”
Hosts Jennifer Zamparelli and Doireann Garrihy will preside over the first dance-off of the series as the public vote comes into play.
Eileen, who described herself as the “granny” of the 11 contestants when they were unveiled on the Late Late Show, says she has plenty of support.
HUGE FAN
She revealed: “I’ve always been a huge fan of the show. I love watching it and Strictly in the UK.
“So, I was trying to figure out if I would be able to so I said just have a go. When I went to see Mary [Kennedy] she said, ‘Sure maybe you’d have a go at it yourself ’.
“I’ve been talking to Mary, Aengus [Mac Grianna] and some of the others – if you’re going to do it you may as well go the whole hog.
“Whatever they want me to do I’ll do it, I haven’t had to say no yet.”
Eileen has settled in well with the “class of 2024” and revealed she’s got to know 2FM and Ireland’s Fittest Family presenter Laura Fox well.
She said: “Laura Fox particularly I have gotten to know. We are training in the same studio so I have gotten to know quite well so I see her nearly every day.
“And Davy Russell too, I have had some really interesting chats with Davy – just looking again at things from a different perspective.”
Eileen, who is married to Ros na Run actor Macdara O Fatharta, told how she has huge admiration for model mum Rosanna Davison who topped last week’s leaderboard with a spicy salsa.
She said: “Everybody has been hugely supportive. Rosanna has been doing so well and with three small children I think she’s doing amazing.” And she said she’ll be following the advice of former colleagues includign Mary Kennedy who urged her to make the most of her time on the dancefloor. “Mary just said, ‘Enjoy every moment’ and she’s right. “It is such a privilege to be taught how to dance properly by such professionals.it’s not just what we’re doing, but to get an insight into their lives too and how they operate. It’s fascinating on so many levels.
“Mary and Anne Doyle are coming this Sunday so it will be lovely to have them in the audience too.”
On the possibility of Anne Doyle competing for the glitterball trophy, Eileen would only say: “We’ll see, who knows? Never say never. I think you would want to fully embrace it and if you didn’t feel you’d be committed then I wouldn’t do it. It’s hard work too. “It is great fun and a privilege to be here, but it is hard work. Unless you really feel up for it you could get worn down by it very fast.” Eileen recently admitted there was a secret tension with former RTE director Dee Forbes before she left last November after four decades. But she refused to be drawn on the RTE payments scandal and said her focus is firmly on the dancefloor. She added: “I’ve said all I have to say on that.
I just wish the team that’s there now the best with grappling with the |new order. “Macdara is down in Galway recording Ros na Run but he’s coming up this weekend. Cormac [her son] is coming home in two weeks’ time. “He’s seen the clips and everything so he’s been keeping an eye on it.” ■ Dancing With The Stars continues on RTE One this evening at 6.30pm.