Comedian and podcaster added to Dancing with the Stars line-up
Comedian, TV personality and podcaster Gearóid Farrelly is set to take to the dancefloor as part of the eighth series of Dancing with the Stars. Picture: Barry McCall
Comedian, TV personality and podcaster Gearóid Farrelly is set to take to the dancefloor as part of the eighth series of Dancing with the Stars.
Gearóid is a seasoned performer and boasts an impressive comedy career, who got his breakthrough as a finalist in the So You Think You’re Funny? competition at the Edinburgh Festival.
On trading his comedy chops for Chassé Gearóid said, “I am absolutely terrified. Well, I was terrified before the meet and greet, walking into that room was genuinely one of the scariest things I have ever done. But everybody is so nice, we are gelling as a gang so fast and I’m just enjoying every second of it.”
Gearóid will dance as part of a same-sex couple on the show, whose identity will be publicised on Monday, December 16 as part of the celebrity pro pairings.
Gearóid said seeing two men dance together on TV would have been “such a relief” when he was growing up as a “young gay kid.”
“My pro partner was also bullied at school because he was the dancer. So, we were really on the same page with this. He’s just the best.
“I was a little concerned at the beginning about being in this man’s space, because he’s straight, and I’m gay, and I didn’t want him to feel uncomfortable, or that he felt like he had to do this.
“So, we’ve had that chat as well and he is so up for this from a choreography point of view,” Gearóid said.
Previous contestants Deirdre O’Kane, Fred Cooke, Kevin McGahern and Bernard O’Shea told Gearóid that the show is “one of the greatest experiences they’ve ever had” and urged him to “get out of your head, live every second and throw yourself in the deep end,” Gearóid said.
Gearóid is the third celebrity to be announced following former Miss Universe Ireland, Aishah Akorede and Mrs. Brown’s Boys actor Danny O’Carroll.
The eight remaining celebrity contestants joining the new series of Dancing with the Stars will be announced throughout the rest of this week.
The glitz, glamour, and nail-biting competition will all unfold when the new season returns to RTÉ One and RTÉ Player next month.
Dancing with the Stars will be hosted by Jennifer Zamparelli and Doireann Garrihy again this season.
Two-time Dancing with the Stars winner and professional dancer Karen Byrne will join the judging panel in 2025 alongside longstanding judges Loraine Barry, Brian Redmond and Arthur Gourounlian.
