Dancing With The Stars has suffered a blow as two-time winner Pasquale La Rocca is not returning to the show.
The professional dancer, who has claimed victory on the last two seasons of the hit show - will not be part of the RTE show’s return in the new year.
Confirming the news this morning, ShinAwil, the production company behind the show said:
“We here at ShinAwiL would like to thank Pasquale La Rocca so much for joining our Dancing with the Stars family, that not only saw him lift the glitter ball trophy with two of his celebrity partners but also light up the dance floor every Sunday night.
“The absolute best of luck with all your next adventures!”
A spokeswoman for RTE said: "RTE can confirm that professional dancer Pasquale La Rocca will not be returning to Dancing with the Stars here in 2023 as he has joined in the series in Italy.
"RTE look forward to announcing the professional dancer line-up for series 6 in the coming weeks."
Pasquale competed in the Italian version of the franchise this year, but was eliminated from the show earlier this month.
The Italian dancer, 33, has had a triumphant few years professionally, having won the show in Ireland in 2020 with 2fm host Lottie Ryan, and again last year with Nina Carberry.
He also won the dance show the year prior on the Belgian edition in 2019.
The news comes as CEO of television production company ShinAwil, Larry Bass, opened up about his worries of the future of the show and others like it in Ireland at the moment amid financial restraints.
He told Irish Daily Mirror: “No, you are going to see less and less of those types of shows, because the funds available to make shows in Ireland is reducing, it is not increasing, and those show costs are increasing.
“So basic economics means you won’t have those kinds of shows, you won’t even have the shows we have had, as the funds are reduced.
“So it is likely that we won’t be doing shows of that scale, beyond next year.
“That’s a fact, unfortunately with no further investments going into the broadcasters, there is no funds to make the programs. So it is simple arithmetic.”
It comes after RTE have confirmed the end of Ultimate Hell Week, whilst rumours have also been rife that the broadcaster could be set to shelve other shows including Ireland’s Fittest Family.
Bass said: “I don’t do that one, but I wouldn’t be surprised because as money gets tighter, the decisions to spend the money are being taken in the broadcasters, to spend it on the broadcaster rather than to spend it on the programs.”
Asked if he worries this could also spell an end to his own shows, particularly, Dancing with the Stars, which has been rumoured to come to an end after the new season airs in 2023, he added:
“Oh look, it is inevitable. I’ve been saying for a long time that there won’t be funds to make those shows in the future.
“I think it has been well flagged that it is likely.”
The TV boss is also behind popular shows, Home of the Year and previously The Voice of Ireland but worries Irish made programs are on the way out due to financial strain.On what he thinks needs to happen to save them, he added: “It’s what I've been saying for years.
"If you don’t increase the money in, you can’t spend the money out. The licence fee has not been increased for 17 years.
“Try and get a bus today and get the same bus price as 17 years ago.
“So why people think television programmes can be made at the same rate, baffles me.
“So there is no surprise there, that is just a fact of life.
“It’s obvious that the system is broken. It doesn't work.”
“It’s already happening, there’s less and less Irish content being made. More and more content being watched, but less and less Irish content being made,” he added.
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