Amanda was out of step with her dancing co-stars
It all seemed sweetness and light in the DWTS camp until Amanda Byram quit and the knives came out...
AMANDA Byram’s ‘shock’ exit as co-host of RTÉ’s smash-hit show Dancing With The Stars was not an entirely unexpected departure – although it seems to have wrongfooted the producers.
In fact, the Irish Mail on Sunday can reveal that her exit as presenter of the reality dance show has been on the cards for some time.
Last month, the MoS heard rumblings of Byram’s imminent exit and got in touch with the show’s producer Larry Bass, at Shinawil to find out more.
Bass denied the rumours and said he had ‘just been to Amanda’s agent’ the previous day ‘regarding contracts’ and was assured that she ‘would be returning as co-host alongside Nicky Byrne’.
While Mr Bass was adamant in his denial, the MoS has established that, behind the scenes at the show, tensions had been brimming during the last season.
‘Amanda made herself very much an outsider. She stayed in her dressing room until she was due on stage. She had her own stylist and makeup artist separate from the rest of the team. She really didn’t mix. It caused some tensions backstage,’ said a well-placed show source.
So for those in the know, it came as little surprise when RTÉ this week announced that Amanda was departing.
Asked about his previous denial, Mr Bass said: ‘We cannot get into public discussions on internal negotiations, [it] simply will never happen, so apologies if you feel you have a right to stories prior to us actually concluding matters. It would be much more helpful if we could comment on stories when we have something to speak about.’
He added that when the MoS contacted him ‘we had not even spoken with Amanda, so it was a surprise to us that she had decided to move on’. He continued: ‘So while you have been proven correct with your source, we had not even discussed it when you called.’
Asked who would replace Amanda, he said: ‘We haven’t even had a discussion with RTÉ as our commissioner was on holidays this week.’
Kathryn Thomas and Claudine Keane are among the names that have been linked with the role.
A release from Montrose this week, read: ‘RTÉ today announced that Amanda Byram has decided not to return for series three of Dancing With The Stars Ireland. Amanda has co-presented the hugely successful RTÉ One Sunday night series for its first two seasons with Nicky Byrne.’
Amanda said: ‘It’s with a heavy heart I share the news that due to personal and professional commitments both in London and LA, I won’t be joining the team for season
‘She kept to herself. It caused some tension’
three of DWTS Ireland. Walking away from such a successful and enjoyable show has been a difficult decision and I wish everyone the same success and enjoyment this year... keep dancing!’
Amanda is said to have incurred the ire of seasoned producer Bass during the last season. He is understood to have been ‘furious’ when she went off the promotional piste and endorsed a rival tan to the official tan brand of the show. In all of her postings, there were no declarations that money had changed hands – but it is understood that it had.
Bosses at RTÉ were understood to be ‘absolutely furious’ about the posts, which were subsequently removed or edited. niamh.walsh@mailonsunday.ie