Dancing With The Stars boss Larry Bass has laughed off suggestions the show is on its last legs because it’s running out of talent.
On Friday, RTE confirmed 2FM Breakfast presenter Doireann Garrihy would join Jennifer Zamparelli to co-host the sixth series in January.
The news came amid mounting speculation the reality show was facing the axe and may be replaced by The Masked Singer.
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Costs and the dwindling pool of talent willing to take part in the dance extravaganza were cited with reports RTE will not commission a seventh series.
However, Larry scoffed: “It’s on series 19 in the UK, in the US it’s double that. We have more people contacting us who want to be on the show than we can actually deal with.
“There are lots and lots of people, we could fill that cast a couple of times a year if we had to.
“People are always speculating as to what will work and not work.
“If you look at those two shows, look at how they both fared in the UK last weekend, Strictly thrashed The Mask Dancer. So hopefully RTE will cop on to what’s working.”
The 57-year-old TV producer said the public’s “love affair” with DWTS, which is based on the BBC’s Strictly format, was still going strong.
He told the Irish Sunday Mirror: “We know it’s a show they watch every year.
“It’s been one of the top ratings shows – year in, year out.
“It’s not our decision to make but if I was looking at those decisions I know which side of the argument I’d be leaning on. You could speculate about every show on the schedule.
“It took me 11 years to get this show on the air.
“As far as I’m concerned, there isn’t anything to hold a candle to it in terms of family entertainment.”
Dancing With The Stars first hit Irish screens in January 2017 and has been won by Aidan O’Mahony, Jake Carter, Mairead Ronan, Lottie Ryan and Nina Carberry.
Westlife’s Nicky Byrne quit as co-host earlier this year prompting RTE to opt for a second female host, following the lead of Strictly Come Dancing.
Former Saturdays singer Una Healy, GAA legend Pat Spillane and Love Islanders Dami Hope and Jack Keating are bookies’ frontrunners for the 2023 contest.
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