RTÉ presenter announced as latest contestant to join Dancing With The Stars 2026

RTÉ presenter Anne Cassin has been announced as the 10th celebrity to take part in the next series of Dancing with the Stars Ireland.

Anne is an Irish journalist and broadcaster, and is best known as the presenter of RTÉ’s long-running series Nationwide.

Since joining the programme in 2011, Anne has travelled across Ireland highlighting stories about local communities, culture, innovation, and heritage.

Speaking to RTÉ ahead of her debut, the TV journalist admitted that she is “excited now about learning how to dance properly”, adding: “The last time I danced in public I was about 10 and Irish dancing in a school concert. Jigs and reels!”

Anne continued: “I’ve met my dance partner, who is a fabulous dancer and very experienced in DWTS, I know I’m in good hands! I think it’s amazing that I have one-on-one guidance from a professional dancer and at the end, hopefully, I will be able to perform!

“I love glam and sequins, and fake tan even though I never do fake tan myself. I adore the costumes; the more fringes and diamante the better! I’ve tried on a couple of dresses already and they are super tight. I felt brilliant wearing them.”

Anne added: “My husband and my daughters, Ellen and Heather, and my son Joe are really supportive and encouraging. But the best reaction came from my sister Lilian, who squealed with delight when I told her I was taking part.

“I’ve met all the other celebrities by now and they’re lovely. But we’ll see how things shape up when the show starts and the reality sets in that this is a competition.”

Dancing with the Stars will be hosted by Jennifer Zamparelli and Laura Fox when it returns on January 4th.

Filling our Sunday evenings with glitz and glamour from January, the RTÉ series will see 12 well-known figures team up with a professional dancer to perform a live routine every week.

Each pairing will have a different dancing genre to master every week, from the Charleston to Salsa, and they’ll have just seven days to perfect their routine before performing live to the nation.

Each celebrity couple will be scored by an expert panel of four judges: Oti Mabuse, Brian Redmond, Arthur Gourounlian and Karen Byrne, and as well as the viewing public at home, with the winning couple claiming the much-coveted glitter ball trophy at the end of the series.

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