Saturday’s not alright
RTÉ conf irms that due to her commitments on BBC’s Strictly Come Dancing, Angela Scanlon’s Ask Me Anything won’t return – and the broadcaster has not yet replaced it
RTÉ IS on the hunt for a new Saturday night chat show host after the national broadcaster confirmed that Angela Scanlon’s Ask Me Anything will not be returning to our screens this year.
An RTÉ spokeswoman confirmed that the Co. Meath beauty – currently dancing up a storm in her quest to win BBC’s Strictly Come Dancing – would not be reappearing for a fourth series.
The spokeswoman told the Irish Mail on Sunday: ‘Angela Scanlon’s Ask Me Anything is not due to return this season as Angela is currently taking part in Strictly Come Dancing.’
Last month, the MoS revealed that doubts hung over the future of the Saturday night show after sources told how the flame-haired chatterbox had rejigged her professional schedule to devote herself ‘Strictly’ to dance floor glory on the BBC show.
A source told the MoS at the time: ‘Strictly takes nothing but total commitment. It can be exhausting and challenging, both physically and mentally. It requires total and utter dedication. Angela is well aware of this, and she intends to give it everything.’
At that stage, RTÉ was unable to confirm if Ask Me Anything would be returning to our screens.
While RTÉ has not ruled out Angela returning next year, the broadcaster – which entered the second week of the new area for its flagship Friday-night chat show with Patrick Kielty on the Late Late – is now hoping to find a successful heir to Angela for Saturdays.
Meanwhile, Angela – who has been installed as an early favourite to win the coveted Glitterball – has had her hands full this week as she rejected claims that her Irish dancing past gave her an unfair advantage over her fellow celebrity contestants.
She told MailOnline: ‘Most people, you grow up in Ireland, you do Irish dancing. But I’ve never done ballroom, I’ve certainly never done a rumba or any of this style of dancing. You dance on your own and it’s very stiff.
‘So the salsa hips, I don’t know how we’re going to achieve that.
‘I have to take into consideration my partner’s limbs and presence – so we’ll see.’
From the town of Ratoath in Co. Meath, Angela trained with O’Shea
Irish Dance Company. The troupe competed internationally, and the bubbly presenter represented them in numerous competitions – which qualified her as a professional dancer.
She was later hired to perform in the Irish Thunder show – a celebration of culture through dance – in Virginia, USA.
Angela, who is partnered with Strictly professional Carlos
Gu, later gave up her dance career for one in the media.
In a previous interview with the MoS, Angela told how her younger years were invested in Feis Ceoil competitions.
‘I remember when I was competing and my mom was really involved with my dancing, bringing me here, there and everywhere. I was obsessed with dance. In my mind, I was like: “This is all I want. It’s what I love. I don’t want to hear anything about it.” Like, feed the dream.’
RTÉ said it had ‘nothing further to add’ when asked of a replacement for the Saturday night show.
Strictly takes total commitment