Gamble to bring back series is paying off in RTÉ’s ratings

RTÉ’S decision to green light this season of Dancing with the Stars has paid off, as figures show even more people are tuning in than last year.

The celebrity dance series was on the verge of being axed by the cash-strapped national broadcaster, but RTÉ decided to bring back the popular show for a seventh season.

RTÉ figures confirm this year’s first episode was watched by 576,000 viewers on RTÉ One and RTÉ One+1 – an impressive 42% of the overall audience share, up more than 50,000 on last year’s debut.

The second episode dipped to ***Add line with figure for 538,000 viewers (37% audience share), but this was still 14,000 higher than the number who tuned into week two last year.

And last week’s first elimination of this year’s series – when actor Rory Cowan was voted off – saw viewing figures for the third episode jump to 543,000 on RTÉ One and RTÉ One+1, capturing 41% of the audience share.

As the 2024 celebrity contestants brace themselves for the second elimination tonight, Grand National winner third episode last year to come Davy Russell said the relief of not being the first to go is spurring him on in the competition.

On tonight’s Movie Week themed episode, the Cork man and his professional dance partner Kylee Vincent will perform a Star Wars-inspired Charleston to the Star Wars Theme/Cantina Band.

‘Definitely the first elimination was a worry – and as the show [last week] was going on with the comments it was a huge worry!

‘I would have been devastated if I was the first to go,’ he admitted.

By Niamh Walsh