DAVY Russell was revealed this week as one of the celebrities signed up for RTÉ’s Dancing with the Stars in January.

The recently retired jockey will be hoping to follow in the footsteps of Nina Carberry, who won the competition in 2022 and went on to become a team coach on another RTÉ show, Ireland’s Fittest Family.

Davy’s news was made public at 6am on Tuesday though he dropped a hint the previous night at the HRI Awards. Accepting his Irish Racing Hero award, Davy joked with co-hosts Gary O’Brien and Nina: “I still have my licence until February so I might make a comeback, you never know. I’m trim enough and am doing plenty of exercise at the moment. I might actually need some advice from Nina. We might dance our way off the stage. I’ll leave it at that for now.”

Just hours later, the news was out. Davy said: “It’s exciting. And it’s so very different to what I’m used to; it’s a new venture. It’s really hard to keep it a secret.

“My wife always told me we need to get dancing lessons before our wedding. I said no, and now I’m regretting that decision.”

Already announced to take part in the show are former Miss World Rosanna Davison, newsreader Eileen Dunne, Wild Youth singer David Whelan, drag queen Blu Hydrangea and TikTok star Miriam Mullins.

Also vying for the glitterball trophy will be 2FM and Ireland’s Fittest Family presenter Laura Fox, Fair City actor Shane Quigley Murphy, Virgin Media presenter Katja Mia, and Rory Cowan from Mrs Brown’s Boys.