IRELAND AM presenter Elaine Crowley became the second celeb eliminated from Dancing With The Stars tonight.
The TV host admitted she was gutted not to have lasted until Dedication Week next Sunday.
Elaine told The Irish Sun: “Yes, I got kicked out of Dancing With The Stars second, which is a bit mortifying to be honest. But on the other hand, nothing serious happened.
“You just have to put it into perspective. It would have been lovely to stay dancing but it’s more a TV show than a dance competition.”
The 47-year-old also revealed the touching reason she had wanted to be in Dedication Week.
The Virgin Media star lost her nephew Ultan, 11, in 2023 after a short battle with cancer and had planned to invite his family to be in the audience.
Elaine said: “I was going to do it for my nephews because they have had a rough enough time. So I wanted to dance and bring them up to watch the show and dance in front of them. But you know, it wasn’t to be.”
She revealed she may have had an inkling that she would leave after “a shaky day” yesterday doing rehearsals.
Earlier, Elaine Crowley and her pro Denys Samson had scored 18 points for her jive to the song You Can’t Stop The Beat from movie Hairspray.
Brian told them: “That was really interesting to watch. After last week’s dance, I can see your confidence is coming back step by step. It needed more bounce but you’ve bounced back.”
Karen Byrne told them: “It needed a little bit more attack, but the real question is who’s using more hairspray, you or Denys?”
Arthur Gourounlian added: “No pain, no gain. Your arms were beautiful and so was your face. You didn’t give. Well done.”
It was Movie Week on Dancing With The Stars tonight, with the celebs transformed into characters from popular movies.
Opening the show, former Miss Universe Ireland, Aishah Akorede, landed 24 points for a Sister Act-inspired cha-cha-cha to Rescue Me by Fontella Bass with her partner Robert Rowiński.
Judge Karen Byrne told them: “You don’t need any rescuing tonight. What an opener!”
Arthur Gourounlian said: “You took the whole audience to the chapel.”
Brian Redmond added: “Mother Superior will be delighted.”
Gearóid Farrelly dressed up as The Artful Dodger from movie Oliver to lift partner Stephen Vincent during his American Smooth, which won them 22 points.
Brian said: “You have issues with your feet, but it’s your only Achilles heel. Please sir, can I have some more?”
Arthur said: “The jump was effortless my jaw dropped you keep surprising me.”
‘BIT SKITTISH’
Lip syncer Kayleigh Trappe quickstepped as a cat lady to the title track from Disney classic The Aristocats.
Brian said: “You were like a cat on a hot tin roof. Bit skittish, but you should be ‘feline’ a lot happier with yourself.”
Arthur added: “Your feet were so fast.”
Kayleigh scored 21 points.
Taekwondo star Jack Woolley and his pro dancer Alex Vladimirov dressed up as supervillains The Joker and Harley Quinn for a tango to last year’s Joker: Folie à Deux.
But Brian wasn’t impressed. He said: “That performance has inspired the bad guy inside me, it was not quite as good as I was hoping.”
Jack and Alex scored 23 points.
Meteorologist Joanna Donnelly had pals in the studio audience from Met Eireann to see her do a quickstep as Mrs Robinson from movie The Graduate.
GLITTERBALL STARS – ALL THE DWTS WINNERS
SERIES ONE – 2017: Former Kerry footballer Aidan O’Mahony beat the odds to be crowned Ireland’s first-ever Dancing With The Stars champion alongside pro partner Valeria Milova, beating out former Fair City star Aoibhin Garrihy and Red Rock actress Denise McCormack.
SERIES TWO – 2018: Singer Jake Carter – the younger brother of country crooner Nathan – was just 19 when he nabbed the Glitterball in 2018 with pro dancer Karen Byrne. And the dance partnership later blossomed into love for the popular pair, who confirmed they were dating months after their big win.
SERIES THREE – 2019: Popular presenter Mairead Ronan became the first female winner, landing the Glitterball with Kilkenny dancer John Nolan in 2019. The mum-of-three said her victory was proof “you can do anything you put your mind to”.
SERIES FOUR – 2020: The 2020 series finale was brought forward due to the outbreak of Covid-19, with 2FM star Lottie Ryan left in tears at clinching the trophy with pro partner Pasquale La Rocca.
SERIES FIVE – 2022: Returning to screens in 2022 after a year off in 2021 due to the continuing coronavirus crisis, ex-jockey Nina Carberry became the third woman on the trot to win the Glitterball, marking a second title for pro Pasquale.
SERIES SIX – 2023: RTE 2FM star Carl Mullan was left stunned back in 2023 when he lifted the Glitterball with pro Emily Barker. The underdog came out on top against fellow finalists Brooke Scullion, Suzanne Jackson and Damien McGinty.
SERIES SEVEN – 2024: Paralympian Jason Smyth came out on top as the 2024 series winner, with pro Karen Byrne becoming the second dancer to win the DWTS title twice. The legally blind athlete moved viewers to tears with an emotional showdance to secure the title.
Brian said: “You danced to a song from The Graduate but you don’t have an honours degree in dance yet.”
Arthur said: “Your upper body was in position and your lower body was living its best life, so you have work to do”
Joanna scored 17 points.
Mrs Brown’s Boys actor Danny O’Carroll was dressed up like Paul Mescal in Gladiator II, donning a black pleated roman kilt for his pasodoble with partner Salome Chachua.
Brian said: “This performance puts you right back on the red carpet.”
Karen said: “You took movie week by storm.”
Danny landed 25 points.
Kin actress Yasmin Seky looked to become Disney princess Moana when she and partner, Simone Arena performed a contemporary ballroom dance.
Brian said: “Disney are on the phone and want to hire you.”
Arthur said: “You embodied the character of Moana.”
Yasmin and Simone scored 26 points.
‘SOMETHING CLICKED IN YOU TONIGHT’
Chef Kevin Dundon donned a latex green head to jive as Shrek, but couldn’t disguise his bad dancing.
Brian said: “That jive was more donkey than Shrek.”
Arthur said: “You brought joy to movie week.”
Kevin scored eight points.
Olympian Rhys McClenaghan got a standing ovation from the judges when he danced as Spider-Man in a webbed red and blue body suit with partner Laura Nolan.
Brian said: “It’s an absolute honour to watch a gold medal Olympian with his ever improving dance skills.”
Arthur, awarding them the first 10 this season, said: “Rhys, something clicked in you tonight. You really connected. Love it.”
Rhys landed 29 points and ended the night at the top of the scoreboard.
