Brian Redmond talks being the 'bad boy' on the Dancing With the Stars judging panel

Brian Redmond: 'I’d love to have flowing locks like Arthur does. I would love to be four inches narrower around the waist and a bit more muscular on top. But none of that affects me. I know who I am'

Resident bad boy of the Dancing With the Stars judging panel, Brian Redmond is a dyed-in-the-wool Dubliner whose comments rarely come with sugared coating. He calls it like it is. And if he sees an opportunity for some divilment and ruaille buaille? Bring it on. So, what’s it like being the judge we love to hate amid rumours of axing?

“It’s a double-edged sword in a way. Being the bad boy allows me to be as honest as I feel I need to be, but it obviously comes with the sense that you’ve got to balance it.” As for the speculation that he was being dropped from the show? It’s the first he’s heard of it.

While Brian has jokingly referred to his fellow judges as “sweet but psycho” on his radio show, he is a little more discerning when it comes to critiquing the Dancing With the Stars contestants. 

“One thing I’m very conscious of is that these guys are putting themselves forward. They’re in a precarious, vulnerable position. I’ll always talk about what they’re doing, but never them.” 

Brian’s persona is akin to the classic pantomime villain; disarmingly blunt, a little irreverent and blissfully unaware of the audience’s pleas to go easy on the innocents — in his case, that is the celebrity dancers. 

“Being that villain of the panel obviously creates a reaction. We see it season after season that someone who has been waiting weeks to get a 10 — the moment you do give it to them, it’s way more meaningful.” 

Has he ever come across an arrogant attitude towards the amount of work it takes to master a dance in under a week? “I don’t think it’s arrogant. I think it’s naive. Until they actually get in the training room, they’ve got absolutely no idea what it is that they’re getting involved in.

“Sometimes, they get a bit cocky, and they get that rude awakening within the first week of training, and then again on the first week of live.” 

Dancing With The Stars returns on January 8 on RTÉ One

Blanchardstown-born Brian has a wealth of experience as a professional dancer and his dancing has taken him to Albert Hall and the Kremlin Palace but it all started in a dance hall in Rathmines when his mother dragged him and his brother along with her, thinking they’d be bored.

“When we came out, I asked my mam; ‘how can we were never allowed to dance?’ She thought it was something we’d never have an interest in. She said, ‘go for a month’ and I’ve never looked back since.” 

As a young boy, Brian got called “Twinkletoes — how inventive” but nothing that ever felt like bullying. As the judge we love to hate, Brian is surprised that comments on social media have never veered into the personal — he says he has never gotten any vitriol online and offers to show me his Twitter DMs.

“I’m 45 years of age, I’m a bit thin on the top but I never get people calling me a baldy git or anything like that.

“Maybe that’s because I’m a guy. If a woman was doing what I am doing, the level of critique would be absolutely through the roof in terms of personal insults, comments and direct messages. If Loraine was doing what I am doing, they’d go to town on her.” 

Being on television does make him more conscious of his appearance but he doesn’t let it grind him down.

“I’d love to have flowing locks like Arthur does. I would love to be four inches narrower around the waist and a bit more muscular on top. But none of that affects me. I know who I am. I wouldn’t be somebody who would be going to get Botox just so I look completely smooth when we go on air in January.” 

How does he get on with the other judges?

“Lorraine was like this mythical character I’d heard of on the scene. She was a bit like a unicorn when I first started dancing.” Having followed her career for years, Brian then went to train with the world champion as his coach.

“She was this fabulous performer that I looked up to, then she was my coach and now, she’s the one I sit beside and occasionally butt heads with but that’s what it’s all about.” As for Arthur, he’s the lovable character, the foil to Brian’s tough love persona.

“I’m a bit of a divil. I love a bit of banter. Arthur is a very happy, jovial, lovable character. He finds it difficult when he can’t see somebody really going for it or giving it socks.” 

This year’s ensemble pulls from very different walks of life, says Brian and he can’t wait to see how it goes.

“There’s somebody to draw everybody in. When I saw Panti was going to be on, I said it’s going to be a case of deliver the critique, close your mouth and sit back and wait for it all come flying back in your face because, however good or bad her dancing is, she certainly isn’t lacking confidence and that’s fabulous to see. But it’s going to be a nightmare for me to deal with. God knows what way it’s all going to go.”

• Dancing With The Stars returns on January 8 on RTÉ One