Entertainment

Co Derry singer Brooke Scullion unveiled as celebrity contestant for RTE's Dancing with the Stars

Co Derry singer Brooke Scullion. Picture by Barry McCall Photography/ RTÉ
Co Derry singer Brooke Scullion. Picture by Barry McCall Photography/ RTÉ Co Derry singer Brooke Scullion. Picture by Barry McCall Photography/ RTÉ

CO Derry singer Brooke Scullion has been unveiled as one of the first four celebrity contestants for the next series of Dancing with the Stars.

Just months after she represented Ireland at Eurovision 2022 with her song That’s Rich, Brooke is set to take to the dance floor for the RTÉ One show.

The three other contestants also announced include drag queen Panti Bliss (aka Rory O’Neill), footballer Paul Brogan and influencer Suzanne Jackson. They will be among the 11 celebrities for the new series due to begin in January.

Brooke, who first came to public attention in 2020 on The Voice UK, said she is "so excited to be joining the Dancing with the Stars family and to be part of an iconic Irish series".

"What girl doesn’t want to get on her dancing shoes every Sunday night," she said.

"It’s a dream come true - bring on the sequins."

Mayo-born Rory O’Neill, also known as Panti Bliss, is regarded as Ireland’s best known drag artist and became a household name in the Republic when she spoke out and campaigned for equality in the marriage referendum.

"I feel really privileged to be part of the first same-sex couple competing on Dancing with the Stars from the very start of a series," she said.

"It's a really exciting time."

All-Ireland winning former Dublin GAA footballer Paul Brogan also said he was a "competitive person, but this is way out of my comfort zone and from what training I have done so far, I know it is not going to be easy".

"It will take a lot of hard work, but it’ll also be a lot of fun," he said.

"Rehearsals have been great so far and I’m looking forward to the live shows. It will be a great experience and a new test. This will just be a different game in a different stadium – Croke Park to RTÉ."

Suzanne Jackson began blogging in 2010 under SoSueMe and has went onto launch her own beauty range and presents RTÉ’s The Style Counsellors. She said as a fan of the show, "to be part of it this year is a dream for me".

"I was an Irish dancer when I was younger, but ballroom is a completely different challenge," she said.

"The timing is right for me and I’m going to give it my absolute everything with my dance partner."