It’s orchestra week on Dancing With The Stars (RTÉ, Sunday, 6.30pm) and it’s a glamorous night for everyone involved including the three judges, who are decked out in black tie and white caribou feathers respectively.
Former Miss World 2003 Rosanna Davison is a lady in red once more for a tango this week, but it’s not enough to save her from getting the boot in the dance-off with Six O’Clock Show host Katja Mia.
Davison says she feels like the time is right for her to leave the competition: “It’s such a journey of self-growth, but at the same time I’ve three children under five who need me at home and I’ve been feeling the guilt of that.”
“There’s been a lot of mum guilt, and they’re really missing me now, so I think it’s the right time – as much as I’d love to have gone further,” she says.
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“Oh the mum guilt, it gets ya!” quips Jennifer Zamparelli, whose interaction with co-host Doireann Garrihy sadly feels as leaden as ever this episode. They don’t appear to be making much eye contact.
First up tonight is Katja Mia and her partner Ervinas Merfeldas for a spot of American Smooth to Everlasting Love by Love Affair. The TV personality and model receives solid reviews from the judges, who commend her for “beautifully seguing” between foxtrot, tango and Viennese Waltz as well as performing four lifts in total. She receives an impressive 26 – just one mark off from her ‘off-the-wall’ Charleston last week.
Next up is Ireland’s Fittest Family host Laura Fox who looks elegant in glittering black as she dances a tango to Take On Me by A-ha with former Ukrainian dance champion Denys Samson.
“Yes, [the] last night you had a little dip, but this week you came back and showed us what you’re made of and you smashed it,” says judge Arthur Gourounlian, while Redmond shows off his alliteration skills. “I think tonight you gave us a tenacity that was tantalisingly tango,” he quips. Fox scores 27.
Former jockey Davy Russell and Kylee Vincent are third tonight, performing a jive to Everybody Needs Somebody to Love from the movie The Blues Brothers. The sports personality and his pro partner look fetching in matching powder blue suits
If your uncle danced like this at a family wedding his legend would undoubtedly live on forever and he’d be a viral star by the morning. Nevertheless Redmond laments that it’s “a little bit rough around the edges”, while commending the “great energy”. The pair receive 23 in total from the judges.
A highlight of the night comes as drag queen Blu Hydrangea arrives to the stage in a spectacular orange and purple samba rig out along with dance pro Simone Arena. Their energetic routine – with plenty of winks and grins to camera – receives a perfect 30 from the judges, the first of the season.
There’s a change of pace as Paralympian Jason Smyth and his pro partner Karen Byrne take to the floor for a waltz to Watermark by Enya. A touching moment comes as Byrne, looking every inch a Disney princess, feels for his hand during the dance. Nonetheless they score a somewhat disappointing 21 overall, the lowest judges’ score of the night.
Rosanna Davison takes to the floor next for a fiery tango with her partner, British Latin champion Stephen Vincent. “Your lucky colour,” Jennifer Zamparelli notes – incorrectly – of her red dress. But unfortunately it’s not so lucky tonight, with the two scoring 22 and ultimately ending up in the bottom two.
“Can we just talk about your face for a moment, because it was something to behold,” the TV host asks her awkwardly, referring to Davison’s uncharacteristic steely pout throughout the dramatic dance.
Finally, it’s on to competition front-runner David Whelan of Eurovision contestants Wild Youth. He’s dancing contemporary ballroom to Paradise by Coldplay in a sheer sparkly shirt. There’s some bizarre-looking lifts involving dance partner Salome Chachua. But the judges are impressed. Whelan scores 28 overall.
He looks to be the one to beat come the quarter final next week.
