Much-loved Traitors Ireland star to join new series of Dancing with the Stars
The Traitors Ireland legend Paudie Moloney has been revealed as the second contestant on Dancing with the Stars this season. Picture: Barry McCall.
star Paudie Moloney has been revealed as the second contestant on this season's alongside Eurovision winner Niamh Kavanagh.
Moloney stole the hearts of the country after appearing in the reality television series that combines social deduction gameplay with a murder mystery twist.
He left chaos in his wake upon his departure from Slane Castle, where the show was filmed, after two weeks of playing an impressive game, using the role of ‘dad’ that was bestowed upon him by other contestants to his advantage.
Audiences were captivated by Moloney, from the viral ‘Daddy’ moment on the show, where his son and fellow contestant Andrew spoke without thinking while under pressure during a mission, calling Moloney ‘Daddy’, right up to his mic-drop moment, after being caught by the Faithfuls, where he not only revealed that he had been an unsuspecting Traitor the whole time, but that the remaining contestants had met his real-life son, Andrew, on the show – a detail tried to keep underwraps.
Most recently, Moloney appeared on alongside Andrew and was cast as the Wizard in Dublin Christmas panto,
He will take to the dance floor when the hit series returns to our screens in January, sharing it with none other than Niamh Kavanagh, best known for winning the for Ireland with the ballad in 1993.
The song became the best-selling single in Ireland that year and remains one of the contest's most iconic ballads. She returned to the contest in 2010 with qualifying for the final in Oslo and further solidifying her status as a Eurovision legend.
Kavanagh now co-hosts the podcast with comedian Gearóid Farrelly, who was a contestant on last year’s
Speaking ahead of their appearances on the show, Moloney said he is excited but a little apprehensive, while Kanavagh said she is beside herself but trying to act cool.
“I’m really looking forward to the challenge, but I’m afraid all the glitter, the fake tan, and the sequins are going to be very new to me so I don’t know what to make of any of that,” Moloney said.
“My close family are very excited about me doing it and they can’t wait to see the show. Some friends think I’m mad but are also excited for me. I know the grandkids will be delighted and mortified at the same time.
“I really got lucky with my pro dancer – I can’t say the same for her, but she has reassured me we’ll have a lot of fun while going through this great experience. As I was saying to my wife, Bernadette, it will be a whole new experience sober dancing – I’m normally only dancing at weddings now and, depending on the circumstances, the odd funeral.
"Bernadette and I have always been great fans of the show. We’ve watched all seasons so far, but I still couldn’t tell you the difference between a Quickstep and an American Smooth.”
Kavanagh said she would be lying if she said she wasn’t nervous, but that she is mostly excited for what will be a new challenge.
“I love watching and I watch them every year. I have opinions on all of the dance moves ... that I can’t do myself. I’ve watched people grow while they do the whole process, so I’m excited from that point of view, but for years I felt it wasn’t for me because it involves so much of what I’m not good at,” she said.
“I’m not going to lie, I probably will fan-girl a little bit over Oti and I already love Brian, Karen and Arthur. Truthfully, I can’t wait to work with the whole team and I’m 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.”
Following the news earlier this year that Loraine Barry will not return to our screens as a judge on it was announced that South African dancer and talent show judge Oti Mabuse will be the new head judge, joining Brian Redmond, Arthur Gourounlian and Karen Byrne on the judging panel.
The four-time world dance champion, who has been with the show for eight seasons, said in a statement that it was "the right time" for her to stand down as head judge.
Taking Barry’s place as head judge, Mabuse is well-known for being a professional dancer on in the UK, which she won in 2019 and 2020, and its German equivalent,
The show will be hosted by Jennifer Zamparelli and Laura Fox, who is standing in for Doireann Garrihy this season while she is on leave.
This series will see 12 well-known figures team up with a professional dancer to perform a live routine every week, with each pairing given just seven days to master the moves.
Each celebrity couple will be scored by the expert panel of judges, as well as by the viewing public, with the winning couple claiming the much-coveted glitterball trophy at the end of the series.
- will air on Sunday, 4 January on RTÉ One and RTÉ Player.
