2FM Breakfast host Carl Mullan and Derry Girls star Leah O’Rourke confirmed for Dancing with the Stars 2023

Carl Mullan and Leah O’Rourke are the ninth and tenth celebrities announced for series six of Dancing with the Stars, which returns to RTÉ One in January.

Carl confirmed on Thursday morning he’s throwing his hat in the ring for the glitterball trophy, saying: “The only thing doing somersaults right now is my stomach – I’m a combination of a bag of nerves but also absolutely buzzing! It’s a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity and I can’t wait to get going. It’s completely outside my comfort zone, I’ve never done any form of dancing before, but I’m determined to get my head down and do everything possible to make sure my partner and I get all the way to the final!”

In 2021, Carl began hosting RTÉ’s 2FM Breakfast with Doireann Garrihy and Donncha O’Callaghan, and the show has gone from strength to strength ever since.

Speaking this morning, Leah said: “I am absolutely thrilled to be joining the show. This is the opportunity of a lifetime. If I’m brave enough to showcase terrible singing on Derry Girls, I’m hoping I’ll be brave enough to showcase my attempts at dancing. I’m looking forward to taking on a new challenge, shaking off the school plait and showing a more glam side to me.”

From Newry in County Down, Leah played Derry Girl Jenny Joyce, the goody-two-shoes prefect who never strays from the rules. Jenny Joyce famously performed ‘Stay’ by Shakespeare’s Sister at the school talent show.

Leah has also appeared in several short films including Wasted, Anna and Normality, and played Siobhán in the award-winning film Half Brothers.