For the first time in Dancing with the Stars history, there is a same-sex couple sashaying their way across the dancefloor.
Panti Bliss AKA Rory O’Neill joined forces with Ukrainian dancer, Denys Samson to become the first same-sex pairing on the show.
Speaking to VIP Magazine following the first live show, Panti confessed that he was “delighted“ to be part of history.
“It’s one of the big reasons I did it,” he explains.
“They had asked me a few times before. And for various reasons, I am a very busy pretend woman, I couldn’t do it. This year a few things aligned and I said to them, ‘Are you saying I can have a same-sex partner?’ because that was a big part of me deciding to do it.”
Speaking about his professional partner, Denys, Panti adds: “Nobody could be more unbothered by it than Denys. If you lined up all the pro dancers, Denys is the one I would pick.
“None of the rest of them would be able to handle me, let’s be honest. He is a big eejit and he loves it.”
Although Panti is Rory’s onstage persona, there are plans for a performance out of drag. Even if it will push Rory out of his comfort zone.
“I am going to. I am planning to do at least one dance [out of drag]. I want there to be two boys dancing together in people’s living rooms at 6:30pm,” Panti explains.
“I think that’s kind of important, to not have the ‘faffery’ around it. We have already decided when we are going to do it and what the dance is going to be.”
We can’t wait to see what comes next for Panti and Denys.
Dancing with the Stars continues on RTÉ One at 6:30pm on Sunday
