Anne Cassin Eliminated in First Dance-Off of Dancing with the Stars

Anne Cassin, a presenter from RTÉ, has been eliminated from the latest season of *Dancing with the Stars* following the first dance-off of the competition. In a head-to-head challenge against Olympian Philip Doyle, Cassin performed a jive to “Can’t Tame Her” by Zara Larsson, wearing a striking glittery leopard-print outfit. Despite the judges acknowledging her strong characterisation, they noted that her performance “lacked oomph” and “control,” ultimately leading to her departure.

As Cassin exited the show, she described the experience as completely “absorbing, challenging, [and] difficult,” but expressed that she had “enjoyed every moment.” Doyle, who unexpectedly finished at the bottom of the leaderboard last week, made a notable comeback, delivering what head judge Oti Mabuse called “a master performance.” Mabuse highlighted Doyle’s tango, saying it featured “one of the best tango frames we’ve had in this competition,” earning him a score of 33.

Another standout of the evening was singer-songwriter Tolü Makay, who garnered a standing ovation for her contemporary ballroom routine. Under the guidance of judge Arthur Gourounlian, she received her first score of 10 from him, which he described as “striking.” Fellow judge Brian Redmond praised her versatility, stating, “You’ve proven you can do it all.” Makay’s performance elevated her to the top of the leaderboard with a total of 37 points.

Facing fierce competition, *Ireland AM* presenter Eric Roberts also delivered an exceptional performance with his Charleston to “Happy” by Derek Martin. Three of the four judges stood to applaud him, with Karen Byrne declaring it “the dance of the night, by a mile.” Roberts achieved a near-perfect score of 39, receiving 10s from all judges except Redmond, who rated his performance at 34. Redmond remarked, “There was nothing chill about it; it was so precise, so neat.”

In a night filled with dynamic performances, Eurovision winner Niamh Kavanagh and *Fair City* star Stephanie Kelly also made their mark. Kavanagh leaned into her panto villain persona for a paso doble that the judges agreed was among her strongest performances yet. Mabuse commended her storytelling, resulting in a score of 31, a personal best for Kavanagh.

Kelly opened the Sunday night show with an energetic salsa to Cascada’s “Evacuate the Dancefloor.” While Redmond noted her abundant energy, he advised her to refine her control, leading her to a score of 26. The night also featured *The Apprentice UK* star Jordan Dargan, who faced the challenging samba dance. Despite Mabuse noting that he appeared to be enjoying himself, she mentioned that his execution lacked the necessary intensity. Dargan earned a score of 28, reflecting a performance that was strong but not his best.

Finally, *Traitors Ireland* star Paudie Moloney doubled his score from the previous week with a paso doble to the theme tune from *The Traitors*. Judges praised his powerful yet aloof performance, with Redmond commenting on the perfection of his strides. Moloney scored 23, marking his return to form.

With such an engaging array of performances, the competition continues to heat up as the contestants strive to impress both the judges and the audience.