James Patrice says emotions are running higher than ever behind the scenes of Dancing with the Stars as the competition heads into semi-final weekend.
The show's roving reporter, who has returned for his ninth series, has an access-all-areas backstage pass, bringing fans the latest updates from the training room and the dancefloor across Instagram, Facebook and TikTok.
But while viewers see the glitz and glamour on screen, Patrice often witnesses the most emotional moments once the cameras stop rolling.
Speaking to RTÉ Entertainment, the Malahide native said chatting to departing contestants is always a moment of "raw emotion".
"Yeah, it's very emotional, particularly on the floor after they’ve been eliminated. The second the credits roll, the social team and I go in for interviews for Instagram and TikTok. It is that pure, raw emotion.
"It is that kind of initial shock and everyone is around them and everyone’s, you know, saying how amazing and fantastic they are. But by the time we get to them, it’s very much 'okay, calm down, that’s it, you’re not in the competition anymore'. It’s very emotional."
Patrice said contestants go through a much longer journey than viewers might realise - something that makes their exit all the harder.
"It’s not just the five or six weeks we see them on the show. It’s the two months before that as well where they are shooting and rehearsing. They’re getting to know their fellow castmates and their partners, so it’s much more than the few weeks that we see on the show," he explained.
Doyle and his professional partner Daniela Roze landed in the bottom two after the judges’ scores were combined with the public vote, before facing singer-songwriter Tolü Makay in the season’s fourth dance-off.
Patrice said the disappointment can be just as tough for the pro dancers.
"I think for the pros as well, like Daniela and Philip who were eliminated on Sunday, Daniela was particularly upset because she had worked so hard and Philip was so amazing. It’s at that stage now where they do see the Glitterball and think 'I could get there and this is attainable'. To go home at that stage, it’s heartbreaking, it really is.
"They are so immersed in it. I mean, you know, myself and the others, we’re only there at the weekends. But they are there seven days a week. They eat, sleep and breathe it."
With just two weeks left in the competition, Patrice admits emotions are likely to run even higher as the pressure ramps up.
"Obviously I don’t want to make people cry, but I do love a few tears because it just shows how real it is and how human it is - trying a new skill and putting themselves out there. It’s daunting to say the least."
Laughing, he added: "We’ve two weeks left - I want to see tears on the dance floor. Better yet, I’ll just cry."
Dancing with the Stars, Sundays, RTÉ One and RTÉ Player, 6:30pm.
