In 2022, as the lockdowns of COVID-19 began to fade from memory, comedian Kevin McGahern returned to the stage to discuss his pandemic experience.
As well as taking on the role of 'Clueless Vassal' in Ridley Scott's The Last Duel, and filming a host of shows including Kevin Paints..., Summer at Seven, and Clear History, the stand-up welcomed his first child into the world (his second arrived just a few months ago).
Coming out of the busy pandemic as a new dad, the funnyman said he was on a mission to get fit. Speaking behind the scenes at Dancing with the Stars on Sunday, we wondered if the star-studded competition was his version of a couch to 5k.
"It wasn't, really, but it saved money on the gym membership, definitely," he said. "It's good, I mean I'm feeling good, I'm feeling fit for the first time in my life. My body can do things that, Sínann, I was totally unaware of. It's amazing what this yoke can do now."
Last week, Kevin and his pro-partner Laura Nolan danced the Cha-Cha-Cha to Jamiroquai's 'Canned Heat'. In the run-up to the performance, there was a lot of talk of Kevin getting to know his hips, with judge Loraine Barry eventually praising him for a "groovy start" to the show.
Reflecting on the hip-shaking display, McGahern says that taking on the various dance moves has been a new experience.
"I asked my brother about lifting weights, like a year or two ago, and my mother was like 'no, sure what would you be doing lifting weights at this stage, just go for the odd walk', and I was like, 'I'm not in my 70s, mam, there's still hope'," he jokes.
"For any out-of-shape 36-year-olds out there, it's never too late. It's never too late."
Fans of Clear History will know that the Cavan man rarely shies away from a snazzy suit, but how has he been adapting to the world of fake tan and sequins?
"I love it, you get to dress up in whatever they tell you to wear, and the hair as well; I'm loving all these mad hairstyles. Like, I've always wanted to try out a teddy boy hair to see if I could pull it off, and I pulled it off!"
"I'm sure what you call this [hair style], it's like an 80s Bowie kind of vibe, but somebody said Big Tom had the same hairstyle in the 60s, so that took the wind out of my sails slightly."
With a long-standing career in the entertainment industry, McGahern is well used to performing in front of a crowd, so it's no surprise to learn that having a live audience every week gives him a buzz. The crew witnessing his rehearsals, however, is another story.
"I'm more nervous in rehearsals when you're just dancing in front of engineers - they're a glum bunch. I get a lot of buzz from an audience, that gives me adrenaline, but the fear of missing a step is just terrifying. That screws me up."
"It's so stressful," he adds. "It is so stressful, and when you're standing there on the firing line waiting for your name to not be called, hopefully, yeah, I've never experienced fear like that."
When asked how he plans to calm those nerves, Kevin replied: "I'm going to Pantibar now, I'm sure they'll have something for sale there that will ease my nerves."
Watch our interview with Kevin McGahern back above.
