Irish Glee fans are in for a special treat as Damian McGinty has been named as the seventh celebrity to take part in next year’s Dancing With The Stars.
The Derry singer and actor is in the middle of a tour and album launch in the US and takes to the stage in St Louis tonight and Nashville tomorrow.
Speaking on Ray Foley’s Today FM show, Damian explained: “I have been on tour and I’m in the middle of a new album cycle which I released last week.
“I flew to Ireland for a three-day round trip, we did all the press and I had my first dance rehearsal.
“But now I’m back in the States, we are doing a couple of FaceTime rehearsals, which I have to say is not ideal.
“I’m doing it in my garage as well, so if you live next door to me, you are probably wondering what is going on.” Having started performing on stage at five and toured with global sensation Celtic Thunder from the age of 14, for 13 years, Damian is no stranger to a live audience.
He added: “Dancing With The Stars is a major challenge for me. One I am really excited for but also very nervous about it.”
“Dancing has never been a strong point of mine, quite the opposite, but I’m eager to get to work.”
Back on Irish soil next week, the crooner, 30, will hot foot it to his first in-person rehearsals with his mystery dance partner and says that while he can’t reveal who she is yet, he is very lucky to have her.
He added, “I’ll be back over Stateside for Christmas. And then finally, I will be full-time with my wife [Anna Claire Sneed], moving back home for the first quarter of next year.
“We are committing to Ireland for the first three months of next year.”
Tomorrow Ryan Tubridy will announce the eighth celebrity dancer to take part in DWTS.
Rugby legend Shane Byrne, former State Pathologist Dr Marie Cassidy, drag queen Panti Bliss (aka Rory O’Neill), Eurovision Brooke Scullion, Dublin footballer Paul Brogan and entrepreneur Suzanne Jackson will take part in the new series.
- Dancing With The Stars is on RTE in January
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