Dancing with the Stars recap: Brooke Scullion makes history in upbeat opener
Singer Brooke Scullion with her Dance Partner Maurizio Benenato during Dancing With The Stars on RTÉ One. Pictures: Kyran O’Brien/kobpix
Dancing with the Stars (DWTS) returned to our screens on Sunday night with a new host, 11 new celebrities — and the highest score ever achieved for a first dance in the show's history.
For the show’s opening episode on RTÉ One, the ladies made their dancing debut with a range of Latin routines, while the fellas took on ballroom, and Doireann Garrihy replaced Nicky Byrne for hosting duties alongside Jennifer Zamparelli.
First to the floor, swapping her football boots for some gold heels, was Ireland football international Stephanie Roche. With pro dancer Ervinas Merfeldas by her side, Stephanie opened the sixth season with a Cha Cha Cha to Becky Hill's Crazy What Love Can Do. But, it wasn't a "winning start" according to judge Brian Redmond, with the judges giving Stephanie a score of just 13, the lowest score of the night.
Next up, was Suzanne Jackson, known to her 301,000 followers as SoSueMe. The entrepreneur and influencer managed to get the judges a bit more excited with her energetic samba to Woman by Doja Cat, earning her an impressive 23 points.
"After that samba, I think we all can let you be our woman... those hips, those legs!" Arthur Gourounlian exclaimed.
Meanwhile, Kevin McGahern's Viennese waltz earned him 19 points and was deemed "a very good start" — though both Lorraine and Brian commented that the comedian needed to work on his topline.
GAA royalty Paul Brogan treated viewers to a "smooth-ish" American smooth and the first lifts of the season, scoring 15 points, with Derry Girls' Leah O'Rourke' Pasodoble to Alice Cooper's School's Out scoring 14.
Arthur said he couldn't wait to see "what's next" after former state pathologist Dr Marie Cassidy's high-paced jive which earned positive comments from all three judges and 15 for the scoreboard.
Former Glee star Damian McGinty performed an "excellent tango" according to Lorraine, scoring 19, while pro-dancer Maurizio Benenato was "the luckiest boy in Ireland" according to judge Brian, after scoring former Eurovision contestant Brooke Scullion as his partner. Her superb salsa scored 25 points from the judges — the highest score ever achieved for a first dance in the history of the show.
Meanwhile, 2FM Breakfast host Carl Mullan was critiqued for his "goldfish" expressions throughout his performance, scoring a middle-of-the-road 16 points, while former rugby player Shane Byrne pleasantly surprised judges with his quickstep, earning a score of 17.
Drag queen Panti Bliss closed the show with a Cha Cha Cha that wasn't just a good show, but technically great, according to judge Brian — and another history-making performance, as Panti is the first drag-queen in the show's history. The Queen of Ireland added 23 to the scoreboard.
To give everyone a chance to settle, there were no eliminations tonight with no eliminations next week either. However, judges' scores and the public's votes won't be for naught, as week three eliminations will see scores combined from all three weeks.
- Dancing with the Stars airs Sundays on RTÉ One at 6.30pm.
