Meteorologist Joanna Donnelly is loving her time on Dancing with the Stars, describing her involvement in the show as "an incredible opportunity".
It's Movie Week tonight so she and her pro dance partner Maciej Zieba will dance a Quickstep to Mrs Robinson by Simon and Garfunkel, from the 1960s’ classic The Graduate.
Four weeks into the live shows and two months in total means that Joanna’s had to put most of her life on hold – though she still gets to work on and off in Met Éireann. She put in a shift as recently as last Thursday, just before Storm Éowyn struck, and shortly before she spoke to RTÉ Entertainment.
"I was doing my little bit for the job that needs to be done, but thankfully I have a great team that I'm part of and I think I'm well covered," she says.
"I think I made a mistake in the first week of rehearsals. I made the mistake of thinking I could cover both the weather and do the rehearsals for that first week.
"I think I wore myself out that week. I didn't take enough time off. I should have taken more annual leave and I was really not prepared for the level of commitment. It was just way too much. But sure we live and learn."
One thing Joanna did know before she signed up for Dancing with the Stars is that she really wanted to do it. Especially as it was something of a 'second time around’ situation.
She may be top of the class when it comes to all things meteorological – but she also has a passion for the series. If she wasn’t performing tonight, she’d be at home lapping up every step on the dancefloor.
"I've always been a huge fan of the show, a desperately nerdy follower of the dancers and the music and the choreography – everything," she insists. "I’m a huge fan.
"They did approach me early on in the production - like year two or three - and I was beside myself with excitement. It didn't work out for one reason or another. I didn't do the show obviously, and then they didn't call the next year and the next year and I thought, ‘Oh well . . . I'm past it.’"
Assuming that the show’s production team "forgot about me and moved on", she was pleasantly surprised when the opportunity arose a second time. She was determined not to miss out again.
"And then when they called this year, I didn't hesitate," she recalls. "I just had to clear it with the kids. Then I was fully in, absolutely." And it’s lived up to her wildest expectations. "It's everything and more," she says.
"It's an incredible privilege to be allowed to be in the room with these professional dancers and have them commit their time to teach me how to dance.
"And I have to stop every now and again and remind [dance pro partner] Maciej [Zieba] how much I am feeling privileged for his time.
"For him, he's doing a job, obviously, but for me this is such a great opportunity. And," she adds, it's not just about being part of the show. I would have loved to have learned how to dance over the years, but I never had the time to commit to learning.
"But even if I had signed up for ballroom classes, it would have been an hour a week. This is very different to that as this is four or five hours in a room with a professional every day, concentrating on me.
"It's an incredible opportunity," she adds. "I feel so, so privileged to be here."
Joanna is also grateful for Maciej’s help in all aspects of competing on Dancing with the Stars. Viewers only get to see the live shows, but that’s just the tail-end of a week’s hard work – and the climax to what’s obviously an insanely busy day.
"He helps me to deal with the whole process of being in the show because Sundays are a lot," she admits.
"It starts very early in the day with hair and makeup, and there's a lot going on around the day between rehearsals and the live rehearsal, the dress rehearsal, and he gave me great coping mechanisms on how to deal with and maintaining your energy. To be prepared for the live show.
"Maciej’s a very young guy, but he has a very, very wise head on his shoulders," she adds. "So he helps me to deal with the whole show and not just with how to move your feet in one direction or another.
He's been a real . . . inspiration. His professionalism and his talent. It's incredible to be around."
Dancing with the Stars, 6.30pm, RTÉ One and RTÉ Player
