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Mary and John leave Dancing with the Stars

Updated / Monday, 2 Mar 2020 07:51
Mary Kennedy and her dance partner John Nolan
Mary Kennedy and her dance partner John Nolan

The Dancing with the Stars journey ended on Sunday night for Mary Kennedy and her dance partner John Nolan, after facing off against Gráinne Gallanagh and Kai Widdrington.

As they ended their run in the competition, Mary performed a lively cha-cha-cha to Young Hearts Run Free by Candi Staton.

Judge Darren Bennett, who was standing in for an ill Julian Benson, said he felt it was a real challenge for Mary this week, while Brian Redmond said the dance was forced at times. 

After her elimination, Mary said: "It was a wonderful opportunity, I’ve learnt so much. I’ve been out of of my comfort zone."

"It was a great challenge. I really do hope that people of my age watching it would say ‘yeah I could do that or I’ll try something different or something new'".

As it happened:

This week our celebrity dancers had to learn their brand new solo routine, AND it was also Team Dance week, whereby three couples made two teams and competed against each other after their performances with their pro partners.

Who's the Fair-est of them all?

Fair City actor Ryan Andrews opened tonight's show with a dazzling quickstep to What a Man Gotta Do by the Jonas Brothers. Fresh from scoring 30 points from the judges last weekend, he and his professional partner Giulia Dotta brought their A-game once again.

Loraine Barry said: "What a man gotta do is to come in here week after week and perform just like that!"

Darren Bennett, said: "I really enjoyed the upper body -  there was calmness to it." He added: "It was almost absolutely foot perfect the whole way through."

Brian Redmond said it was "a real rollercoaster ride for me with lots of highs and little lows" and insisted "overall it was a very nice quickstep".

The couple scored an impressive 27 points from the judges.

Young at Heart

Next to take to the dance floor was much-loved TV presenter Mary Kennedy and her dance partner John Nolan.  

They performed a lively cha-cha-cha to Young Hearts Run Free by Candi Staton.

After they finished, Mary said: "The cha-cha-cha is hard and we worked really hard on it. It took until Thursday until we started to get it right."

Brian said: "It was certainly young and heart and it even made me feel young at heart."

Darren , added: "The atmosphere of it was brilliant the whole way through..there were a few mistakes but it didn't bother me."

Loraine praised Mary for not just giving us "a cha-cha-cha we also got the hustle and disco vibes."

They scored 18 points from the judges.

Anything for dancing

Model Gráinne Gallanagh has been on a high all week after scoring the first 30 of the series last weekend.  

This week she and Kai Widdrington danced a paso doble to I Would Do Anything for Love (But I Won't Do That) by Meatloaf.  

Commenting afterwards Gráinne said: "I'm loving it. I really found this weekend hard, but we put in so much work, and I'm really happy."

Loraine said, "I really really enjoyed it. You are consistent and you are surprising me week in and week out."

Darren added: "It was absolutely spot on! It could have done with a little more drama. But what could have been a Gothic drama was a judges' absolute dream".

They scored a total of 25 points from the judges.

We believe in Fr. Ray Kelly

Singer Fr. Ray Kelly and Kylee Vincent danced a quickstep to I'm a Believer by the Monkees.

Following the performance Fr. Ray said: "I was happy. I knew I lost it a bit at the end of the quickstep and I tried to get it back on track as best I could."

Loraine said "back to the drawing board" while Darren said "I looked at Loraine halfway through the dance and I don't think she believed any of it."

Brian: "It started off with so much promise...but you were a little bit lost throughout it. It didn't quite suit you this week."

Fr. Ray and Kylee scored 13 points from the judges.

The One where Aidan makes a fighting comeback

After another break, it was time for former Kilkenny hurler Aidan Fogarty to dance with Emily Barker.  

It was a rumba for them this week which they performed to U2's One.

After they finished Aidan said: "It was the hardest dance I ever had to learn. It's exposing and emotional. It was painful but we got there later in the week."

Darren said: "Like a true sportsman you've come back fighting. Last week, it was stiff and disjointed. This week I didn't see any of that. You are back in the game."

Loraine added: "If there is one thing I like that is class and that was one classy rumba."

They scored 23 points from the judges.

On your feet (or toes)

The final couple to dance tonight were radio presenter Lottie Ryan and her pro partner Pasquale La Rocca.  T

Their high energy samba was to Tip Toe by Jason DeRulo feat. French Montana.

Lottie said: "It was really could fun to learn but so much fun to perform."

Brian said: "It was phenomenal. The hip action was so full and so deep. I loved the energy".

Loraine added: The samba is one of the hardest dances to do and you made it look easy. The leg action was absolutely brilliant. It was an incredible dance tonight, well done."

The pair scored an impressive 29 points from the judges.

All Together Now

After another break it was time for the team dances and another chance for more scores from the judges.  

Gráinne and Kai, Mary and John and Ryan and Giulia made up the Rhythm Rebels. They danced a mix of tango and cha cha to Physical by Dua Lupa. 

All of the judges praised the team for the concept and teamwork, awarding the group a delightful score of 24 points.

The second team, the Swing Breakers, were crowned the champions of the team battle after their Charleston to Sing, Sing, Sing by Wolfgang Lohr.

Team captain Fr. Ray alongside Kylee,  Aidan and Emily and Lottie and Pasquale, amazed the judges with their slick routine.

Brian said: "It showed everybody playing to their strengths. Really well choreographed, we saw the man of the hour in Fr Ray's dance."

The Pro dance this week was a beautiful classic ballroom to In the Air Tonight by Joseph William Morgan feat. Shadow Royale.

In pictures: Dancing with the Stars' Team Week

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