Sony Pixel Power calrec Sony

Rhys McClenaghan and Laura Nolan crowned Dancing with the Stars champions

17/03/2025

After 11 spectacular shows filled with glitz and glamour, highs and lows and captivating dances along the way, Rhys McClenaghan and his pro partner Laura Nolan have been crowned the winners of Dancing with the Stars 2025.

Commenting on winning series 8 and taking home the coveted Glitterball trophy, Rhys said: I don't have any words!

The final four couples to reach the final after an outstanding season were Danny O'Carroll and Salome Chachua, Kayleigh Trappe and Ervinas Merfeldas, Jack Woolley and Alex Vladimirov and Rhys McClenaghan and Laura Nolan.

The grand finale of series eight of Dancing with the Stars opened with a dazzling number from the pro-dancers, finalists and judges to Everybody Dance by Cedric Gervais x Franklin feat. Nile Rodgers.

The competition kicked in as the couples took to the floor for their first dance of the evening; the Judges' Choice, which tasked each couple with performing a routine from a previous week.

First on the floor tonight was Mrs. Brown's Boys actor, Danny O'Carroll and his partner Salome Chachua. The pair danced their Charleston from week two to Don't Blame it On Me by Michael Bubl .

Judge Loraine Barry said: I feel the trust between you and Salome has built up. You have started a brilliant final tonight.

Judge Arthur Gourounlian said: You absolutely smashed it, you took it to another level. That was electrifying, exhilarating and simply unforgettable.

Judge Brian Redmond said: More fluid, more energetic, more entertainment, great start!

Judge Karen Byrne said: You deserve your place in the final. It was slick, you looked like you were enjoying yourself!

Danny and Salome scored 39 points from the judges.

Next up, Taekwondo athlete, Jack Woolley and his pro-partner Alex Vladimirov threw it back to week five with their Dedicated Dance to Jack's friend Kellie Harrington: an American Smooth to Grace by The Wolfe Tones.

Arthur said: Every week you come here you shine bright. This wasn't just a great dance, this will go down in DWTS history as the best ever! Normally I would say J'adore, but for the weekend that's in it I will say: is gr liom!

Brian said: Big smiley head on me! I liked this dance the first time around but I absolutely lvoed it tonight.

Karen said: You really move people with this dance. I'm still not the better of seeing you dance to this song again. I feel this dance sums up your journey, and signifies such an amazing partnership that you and Alex have.

Loraine said: It was gentle, pure and heartwarming. This dance will always be an iconic performance on Dancing with the Stars.

Jack and Alex scored 40 points from the judges.

Social media star Kayleigh Trappe and her partner Ervinas Merfeldas were hoping to recapture the judges' adoration a second time around with their routine from Love Week, a Salsa to Christina Aguilera's Let There Be Love.

Brian said: Tonight, it's all or nothing and you've certainly come out giving it your all. You are certainly fighting and deserving of this place in the final.

Karen said: This dance shows how much you've grown. I think you should be so proud of yourself, you've grown immensely the two of you together.

Loraine said: Tonight you've come out shining. You've gone into those lifts with less fear. This is a good night for you.

Arthur: To me you have found your wings and you are flying. You have proved that you belong here in the final. I'm so beyond proud of you.

Kayleigh and Ervinas scored 38 points from the judges.

Olympic gymnast Rhys McClenaghan reprised his Movie Week role of Spider-Man, as he and his professional partner Laura Nolan danced the Charleston to the iconic theme tune.

Karen said: You're the real life Irish Spiderman! This routine from beginning to end, it was pure and utter perfection.

Loraine said: Absolutely exhilarating from start to finish. Is there any chance they can do it again?

Arthur said: Your power is mesmerising. From gymnast to dancer, to me you have movement and rhythm in your DNA!

Brian said: You played the hero tonight but you're also an Olympic champion. You have become a real life superhero. Exceptional.

Rhys and Laura scored 40 points from the judges.

After the voting lines opened, it was down to business, as each couple performed their Showdance a freestyle performance that allowed them to combine different dance styles and showcase the creativity and skills they developed throughout their Dancing with the Stars journey.

Danny O'Carroll and Salome Chachua danced to Rock this Party by Bob Sinclair.

Loraine said: You rocked it, you got the party going. That was truly slick.

Arthur said: You have proven time and time again you're a force to be reckoned with. This is an incredible party I'm delighted to have been a part of.

Brian said: The Showdance is generally about summing up your journey on the show, but I think you summed yourself up as a person. It was full of determination, character and pure honest hard work.

Karen said: I feel you've set the standard now for the Showdances.

Danny and Salome scored a total of 37 from the judges.

Jack Woolley and Alex Vladimirov performed to Years & Years' version of Lady Gaga's anthem The Edge of Glory.

Arthur said: I truly have no words left to say. You will be remembered forever on this show.

Brian said: You've got that skillset, that Taekwondo athlete in you, and you've waited until the final to show us that. I clapped all the way through it, I don't think I've ever done that! You have been phenomenal.

Karen said: We expected it to be unbelievable. It was brilliant!

Loraine: There was so much electricity. Everything means the world to you, you give it your all. I can't believe you put in so much salsa, tan
LINK: https://about.rte.ie/2025/03/17/rhys-mcclenaghan-and-laura-nolan-crown...
See more stories from rte

Most recent headlines

05/01/2027

Worlds first 802.15.4ab-UWB chip verified by Calterah and Rohde & Schwarz to be demoed at CES 2026

Worlds first 802.15.4ab-UWB chip verified by Calterah and Rohde & Schwarz to be ...

07/10/2026

Dalet Flex LTS Delivers Smarter Media Operations from Ingest to Distribution

Dalet, a leading technology and service provider for media-rich organizations, today announced the latest Long-Term Supported (LTS) release of Dalet Flex. Build...

06/09/2026

Dolby and MagentaTV Bring Fans Closer to the FIFA World Cup 2026 in Germany with Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos

June 9 2026, 23:00 (PDT) Dolby and MagentaTV Bring Fans Closer to the FIFA Worl...

13/08/2026

LaLiga Renews Broadcast Agreements with ESPN and DSports in South America Through 2031/32

LaLiga has renewed broadcast agreements with ESPN and DSports covering Spanish-l...

13/08/2026

Rockstar Energy Open Builds Third Portland Show Around AI-Powered Vertical Feed, Remote Operators

Three days of skateboarding competitions, live music, and other programming will...

13/08/2026

IBC 2026: Matrox Video to Showcase IP and Software-Defined Technologies

Matrox Video will showcase its portfolio of IP and software-defined technologies at IBC2026 (Booth 7.B15, RAI Amsterdam, September 11-14). The portfolio includ...

13/08/2026

IBC 2026: SMPTE to Present Sessions, Workshops, and Networking Events

SMPTE will present expert-led sessions, professional workshops, and networking events at IBC2026. The organization will be located in the IBC2026 Owner Pavilion...

13/08/2026

IBC 2026: Clear-Com to Showcase Communications Solutions

Clear-Com will exhibit at IBC2026 (Stand 10.D29, September 11-14, Amsterdam), showcasing FreeSpeak Cell, Avalon IP Station, updates to Arcadia Central Station, ...

13/08/2026

Advanced Systems Group Appoints Eran Binyamin Zeitoun as Senior Technical Program Manager

Advanced Systems Group (ASG) has appointed Eran Binyamin Zeitoun as Senior Techn...

13/08/2026

2026 SVG Venues & Teams Summit Heats Up Kaseya Center in Miami

Miami HEAT, Florida Panthers, Orlando Magic, University of Miami join leading vendors for a day of gameday-production talk in South Florida The 2026 SVG Venues...

13/08/2026

MLB at Field of Dreams Returns as Netflix Joins the Effort, Leans Into Cinematic Look at Newly Permanent Ballpark

NBC Sports is producing the Twins-Phillies game alongside the streamer, which is...

13/08/2026

IBC 2026: Oracle to Showcase Cloud Media Workflows

Oracle Cloud Infrastructure (OCI) will exhibit at IBC2026 (Hall 5, Booth 5.A21, September 11-14, Amsterdam), demonstrating cloud-based workflows across low-late...

13/08/2026

IBC 2026: Dalet to Participate Accelerator Programme with AI Live Sports Workflow Demo

Dalet will participate in the IBC2026 Accelerator Media Innovation Programme, co...

13/08/2026

Cox Media Group Announces Local Broadcast Deals with Orlando Magic and Charlotte Hornets

Cox Media Group (CMG) has announced multi-year local broadcast rights agreements...

13/08/2026

Jnger Audio to Demonstrate Cloud-Based DTV+ Workflow at SET Expo 2026

J nger Audio will join Fraunhofer IIS and industry partners to showcase a cloud-based, DTV+-compliant workflow at SET Expo 2026 in S o Paulo, August 17-20. DTV+...

13/08/2026

IBC 2026: Olympic Broadcasting Services to Receive International Honour for Excellence

IBC has announced that Olympic Broadcasting Services (OBS) will receive the Inte...

13/08/2026

NESN Expands Red Sox Broadcast Distribution for Jimmy Fund Telethon

NESN has partnered with WSBK-TV38 to broadcast Boston Red Sox games on August 17 and 18 over the air, extending the reach of the 24th annual WEEI/NESN Jimmy Fun...

13/08/2026

LiveU and Panasonic LUMIX Launch Live Anywhere Mobile Production Workflow

LiveU and Panasonic LUMIX have announced the Live Anywhere workflow, demonstrated at NAB 2026 and InfoComm 2026 in collaboration with Social180Group. The work...

13/08/2026

IBC 2026: Chyron to Showcase Sports Workflow Solutions

Chyron will demonstrate its sports analysis, graphics, remote production, virtual production, and venue control solutions at IBC2026 (Booth 7.A23). This year...

13/08/2026

Ratings Roundup: Pro Football Hall of Fame Game Draws 7 Million During Quiet August for Sports

Ratings Roundup is a rundown of recent ratings news and is derived from press re...

13/08/2026

ESPN/ABC, NBC/Peacock, Prime Video Set National Slates for Year 2 of NBA Rights Deal

Season tips off Oct. 20 and runs through April 11; Christmas Day, NBA Cup, All-S...

13/08/2026

VAEMI announce the Synterra

Company preview bio-interactive' synthesizer VAEMI have announced the upcoming launch of a new standalone bio-interactive' generative synthesizer....

13/08/2026

Ravine DSP update Inter::State

Plug-in host gains new Slot Scenes feature Ravine DSP have recently updated their innovative plug-in host, kitting it out with a new feature that brings yet...

13/08/2026

Tubi Media Group Partners with Gracenote to Unlock Additional Value in Content Discovery and Programmatic CTV Advertising

New Agreement Aims to Leverage Gracenote Infrastructure to Create More Relevant ...

13/08/2026

CMG Expands Local Sports Offering With Two NBA Deals

Share Copy link Facebook X Linkedin Bluesky Email...

13/08/2026

Olympic Broadcasting Services to receive IBC2026 Internat...

IBC today announced that its most prestigious honour, the International Honour for Excellence (IHFE), will be presented to Olympic Broadcasting Services (OBS), ...

13/08/2026

Dalet Demonstrates the Future of AI-Orchestrated Live Spo...

Dalet, a leading technology and service provider for media-rich organizations, today announced its participation in the IBC2026 Accelerator Media Innovation Pro...

13/08/2026

dzjinius to showcase new dzjinius on-set application at I...

dzjinius, the all-in-one production management platform for the media and entertainment industry, will showcase its new application, dzjinius on-set , at IBC20...

13/08/2026

BCE Demonstrates Sovereign Cloud Media Workflows powered...

Broadcasting Center Europe (BCE), a leading European provider of media services, system integration and product development, will demonstrate an end-to-end sove...

13/08/2026

Clear-Com to Showcase Communications Solutions for Broadc...

Clear-Com is returning to IBC 2026, taking place September 11-14 in Amsterdam, Netherlands. At Stand 10.D29, Clear-Com will spotlight the award-winning FreeSpe...

13/08/2026

Leader to highlight advanced Test and Measurement solutio...

Test & measurement innovator, Leader Electronics of Europe, will showcase its comprehensive portfolio of Leader, PHABRIX and LeaderPhabrix test and measurement ...

13/08/2026

KRK Brings Advanced Wireless Control to Professional Monitoring With New V Series Five Studio MonitorsKRK Brings Advanced Wireless

KRK Brings Advanced Wireless Control to Professional Monitoring With New V Serie...

13/08/2026

Anthony Noack Captures Artist's Journey in Estonia with Blackmagic Design

Anthony Noack Captures Artist's Journey in Estonia with Blackmagic Design Brie Clayton August 12, 2026 0 Comments Solo filmmaker documents concept...

13/08/2026

ARRI Image Science makes its mobile debut in the HONOR Robot Phone

ARRI Image Science makes its mobile debut in the HONOR Robot Phone Brie Clayton August 12, 2026 0 Comments Hero image displays the HONOR Robot Phone, ...

13/08/2026

ASG Adds Eran Binyamin Zeitoun as Senior Technical Program Manager

Share Copy link Facebook X Linkedin Bluesky Email...

13/08/2026

Vinten To Feature Manual, Robotic Camera Support Offerings At IBC 2026

Share Copy link Facebook X Linkedin Bluesky Email...

13/08/2026

SMPTE Unveils IBC 2026 Plans

Share Copy link Facebook X Linkedin Bluesky Email...

13/08/2026

IP Showcase on the Water Announces Schedule for IBC 2026

Share Copy link Facebook X Linkedin Bluesky Email...

13/08/2026

Spectrum, Optimum Ink New Deals for News Carriage and Ads

Share Copy link Facebook X Linkedin Bluesky Email...

13/08/2026

IAB Tech Lab Updates Privacy Standards

Share Copy link Facebook X Linkedin Bluesky Email...

13/08/2026

Suitest Highlights New AI-Powered Device Testing and Qual...

Suitest's Test Automation Platform Simplifies Video Quality Assurance, Monitoring, and Device Certification Across the OTT Ecosystem At IBC2026, Suitest, a...

13/08/2026

Cinegy showcases powerful, agile, cost-effective media so...

Cinegy GmbH, the premier provider of software-defined television technology, will have its key software solutions ready to demonstrate at SET Expo 2026 (18 20...

13/08/2026

Scripps Research establishes endowed chair honoring Peter K. Vogt, influential pioneer in cancer research

Scripps Research has established the Peter K. Vogt Endowed Chair, a new faculty ...

13/08/2026

New research offers fresh insights for how to make better vaccines

LA JOLLA, CA-A vaccine's molecular structure plays a key role in determining how the immune system responds and prepares to protect the body from future exp...

13/08/2026

Venera Technologies Showcases AI-Powered Innovations Across its Media QC Platform at IBC 2026

Venera Technologies Showcases AI-Powered Innovations Across its Media QC Platfor...

13/08/2026

Surviving Fred and Rose West: Inside Cromwell Street for U and U&W

New U and U&W Documentary Features Kathleen Richards, One of the Last Surviving Witnesses to Fred and Rose West Kathleen is Reunited with Childhood Friend and ...

13/08/2026

Official trailer released for the return of Tea with Judi Dench Coming to Sky Arts on 31st August

Thursday 13 August 2026 Official trailer released for the return of Tea with Ju...

13/08/2026

Dalet Demonstrates the Future of AI-Orchestrated Live Sports Workflows at IBC2026 Accelerator Programme

Dalet, a leading technology and service provider for media-rich organizations, t...

13/08/2026

Vale MP praises Wenvoe's broadcast role and engineering expertise

Wenvoe serves over 1 million people across South Wales 13 August 2026, Winchester, UK - Vale of Glamorgan MP, Kanishka Narayan, has praised the engineering exp...

13/08/2026

Event Marks New Season with the RT Concert Orchestra

RT 's Miriam O'Callaghan welcomed a range of specially invited guests to the National Concert Hall last week for a unique event to mark a new season wit...