Celebrity Jigs 'n' Reels
Celebrity Jigs n' Reels is an Irish reality entertainment television show broadcast on RTÉ One. It is produced by Mind The Gap Films.
Format
The series started out with seven celebrities paired with professional Irish dancers. Each week they were given a contemporary Irish rock or pop song (as chosen by producers), to which the professional Irish dancer had to choreograph a traditional Irish dance. They would then dance for the judges, who would give feedback and subsequently award points. The dancers then faced a public vote, with the two couples who received the lowest number of votes having to face the judges again. When the judges revealed the number of points they were awarding, the couple with the lower score were eliminated.
Series One
Series One launched in March 2006, in the slot regularly occupied by You're A Star. With a mix of high profile celebrities
such as the singer Dana and Olympic Gold Medallist Michael Carruth, as well as relative unknowns, such as Emma O'Driscoll and
Suzannae Walshe, the show slowly climbed the ratings and achieved a reported 43% audience share.
Judges
Jean Butler, George Hook, Colin Dunne, Robert O'Byrne
Celebrities and dancers
- Killian O'Sullivan and Nicola Byrne (winners)
- Dana and Ronan McCormack (2nd place)
- Paul Byrom and Susan Ginnety (3rd place)
- Michael Carruth and Dearbhla Lennon (4th place)
- Jen Kelly and Paula Goulding (5th place)
- Emma O'Driscoll and Mick Donegan (6th place)
- Suzanne Walshe and Scott Porter (7th place)
New Years Party
On 31 December 2006, Celebrity Jigs n'Reels returned to ring Ireland into the New Year live on RTÉ One. Seven brand new celebrities danced for one night only to raise money for charity and bring in 2007. The format differed from Series One as no celebrity represented a specific charity, instead all the money raised went to Focus Ireland & The Simon Community. Both of which look after the homeless. Hilda Faye (from Fair City) was crowned champion, beating model Celia Holman Lee and GAA All Star Oisin McConville.
The results show ran for an extended period of 50 minutes and included a live singing performance from Paul Byrom (second runner up from series one), as well as a four minute ensemble dance routine from the shows professional dancers. The results show also marked the return of 2006 winner Killian O'Sullivan, who danced with his former partner Nicola Byrne to the Scissor Sisters track "I Don't Feel Like Dancing". This marked the first time a song by a non Irish artist or band was featured in the show.
The New Years Party show stood out as it was the first live show to ring in the New Year on RTÉ in over five years. In previous years recorded shows were played 'as live' on December 31st and usually involved a standard format of musical entertainment and chat with an invited audience.
Judges
Jean Butler, George Hook, Colin Dunne
Panellist Robert O'Byrne did not return for the New Years Special.
Series Two
Series two of Celebrity Jigs n'Reels is said to start on RTÉ during the summer and will feature former Miss World, Rosanna Davison, Ros na Rún actor Gavin Ó Fearraigh and Fair City star Gerard Byrne.
External links
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