Niamh Kavanagh revealed as first contestant for Dancing with the Stars 2026
Eurovision winner Niamh Kavanagh has been revealed as the first celebrity contestant for Dancing with the Stars 2026.
Eurovision winner Niamh Kavanagh has been revealed as the first celebrity contestant for Dancing with the Stars 2026.
The series will be returning to RTÉ on Sunday, January 4.
Ms Kavanagh is best known for winning the Eurovision Song Contest for Ireland with the ballad 'In Your Eyes' in 1993.
The song became the best-selling single in Ireland that year and remains one of Eurovision's most iconic songs.
Now, Ms Kavanagh co-hosts the podcast 'Agony Rants' with comedian Gearóid Farrelly who was a contestant on last year's show.
Commenting on joining the 2026 line up, Ms Kavanagh said: "I am beside myself but trying to act all cool – like it’s no bother!
"However, what I mostly am is excited, I don’t have to be good at this but I’ll work hard to get as good as I can!"
According to Ms Kavanagh, the "glitz and glam side of things" will be the most difficult.
"I usually don’t think too much about sequins and certainly not fake tan – I haven’t even had my ears pierced," she said.
The songstress went on to reveal that she has "very little experience in formal choreography."
"When I did school shows I was mainly cast as a singer and mostly I was told to stay out of the way of other people until it was time for me to sing," she added.
However, the 57-year-old "can't wait to work with the whole team" and is "very excited to see how the other celebs do."
"I want to see them do well so I’m just going to point myself at it and have the whole experience – sparkles, spray tan and all,” she concluded.
This year, the show will be hosted by Jennifer Zamparelli and Laura Fox, who will be standing in for [url=
https://www.irishexaminer.com/lifestyle/people/arid-41728581.html]Doireann Garrihy while she is on maternity leave[/url].
In October, RTÉ announced that South African dancer and talent show host Oti Mabuse will be the new head judge on the show replacing Loraine Barry.
She will be joining Brian Redmond, Arthur Gourounlian and Karen Byrne on the judging panel this season.
