Carl Mullan: I'd hate for people to think I am happy all the time

'People get this impression that I am just non-stop craic and nonsense 24/7... I have days where I am full of anxiety'

Broadcaster Carl Mullan with his Dance Partner Emily Barker. Picture: Kyran O’Brien/kobpix 

RTÉ star Carl Mullan knows many people see him as a “messer,” but the upbeat morning radio host says he was determined from the start not to be "a token 'have the craic' guy" on Dancing with the Stars (DWTS).

The Dubliner, who co-hosts RTÉ 2fm’s breakfast show with DWTS presenter Doireann Garrihy and former rugby star Donncha O’Callaghan, scored 23 points for his high-energy jive last Sunday, and has been steadily improving throughout the competition.

“I am delighted [that] I think I’ve done a good job,” he says, speaking ahead of tonight’s show, where he will be back in the ballroom with Emily Barker to perform a Tango to the Jonas Brothers’ hit Sucker.

Mullan, who has had some interesting costume choices (to say the least) on the show so far this year, said “it’s funny” that people think he is a “messer”.

Broadcaster Carl Mullan with his dance partner Emily Barker 

"People get this impression that I am just non-stop craic and nonsense 24/7. If you talk to my wife, she'll tell you it's absolutely not [like] that.

“I'm the same as everyone. I have days where I feel a bit down, days where I am full of anxiety.” 

The 33-year-old admits it worries him that people might look at his social media and think he’s happy “all the time”.

“People can look at, realistically, what's a curated version of ourselves online and they might compare themselves to us.

“I do make an effort to say on Instagram, ‘don't ever think that this is the way that I am all the time’. Because I'm not. It would be awful if someone was watching my Instagram thinking 'why is he always so happy, why am I not feeling that way?” 

At the same time, Mullan says "it's not lost” on him that he’s simply going through “a wonderful stage” in life.

"Myself and Ais got married in April. We have baby Daibhí, we have a roof over our heads, I have a job that I love, and to get to do something like Dancing with the Stars...

“I'm trying to make the effort, as busy as it is, to take it in.

I know I'll look back on this in a few years and go "oh my god, what an unbelievable time.

And busy he is.

"Last week, I hit a bit of a wall,” he says, “I really did.” 

“To be honest with you, the thing I've learned most from doing Dancing with the Stars is how important sleep actually is.

Doireann Garrihy, Donncha O’Callaghan and Carl Mullan. Picture: Andres Poveda 

“The night you go to bed at half ten, or eleven and you're up at five, those days have a knock-on effect on the whole week."

The presenter credits his “unbelievable” wife Aisling for helping keep the show on the road in this particularly hectic time in his life.

"She's a big fan of the show anyway, so she just said look whatever we need to do as family to make this work, we're going to make it work.” 

So, as for that so-called ‘Strictly curse’ of dance partners and celebrities getting together...

“I fell in love with Ash when I was 11, I am not going anywhere," he says.

“We're recently married, we have a baby, I've everything I've ever wanted there.”