Suzanne Jackson wowed the judges when she took to the dancefloor on Sunday night for the first live show of Dancing with the Stars.
And while she’s still eager to improve, she can’t get the smile off her face when she chats to VIP Magazine.
DWTS is tough work. So why did she decide to take to the dancefloor?
Well originally she had no plans to join the show as a contestant, instead, she reached out to inquire about the presenting role.
“It’s a funny story. My agent got in contact with the production company essentially for me to do a screen test for the presenter role when that originally came about. But they came back to say that they had already recruited a presenter but they asked would I ever take part as a dancer,“ she explains.
“We had discussed it over the years but I thought, ‘Feck it, why not.’ I just recruited my CEO, Caroline Dalton, which meant that it relieved me. The timing was right for me. I’m quite an obsessive person, so I need something to be full steam towards and this is my new challenge.“
She jokes that she is a “workaholic” so she’s excited to give the show her full attention over the coming weeks. While it seemed like the obvious next move for her, she confesses that people were “shocked” when they heard the news.
“A lot of people were shocked when I announced it. I’ve read articles saying she has the money and the fame. But that’s not what this is about. I wanted to open myself up to my followers. I have Instagram Suzanne, who is very serious.
“But they’re also going to get to see a vulnerable and emotional side to me on this, which I don’t think I’ve revealed before. That is part of this.”
And of course, she has her incredible support network including her husband Dylan who is her biggest cheerleader.
“Michael [Danilczuk] and me record my dances every day so then when I get home Dylan is like, ‘Alright show me. Show me what has improved.’ He’s been very supportive since the beginning. At the same time he’s always wanted to push me out of my comfort zone. That is what this whole process is.”
How sweet!
Dancing with the Stars continues on RTÉ One at 6:30pm on Sunday
