Virgin Media star named as ninth celebrity to sign up for Dancing With The Stars

'We're nervous. We're like, why did we agree to this?'

Virgin Media star Katja Mia has been announced to take part in next year’s Dancing With The Stars.

The Six O’Clock star is the ninth celebrity set to take part in the RTE One show, which kicks off in January.

Katja said her co-star Brian Dowling has been “calming her nerves” and singer Erica Cody and businesswoman Suzanne Jackson have been on hand to give her advice.

She said: “Brian (Dowling) is basically family with Dancing with the Stars at this point isn't he? He's been great for calming the nerves. I'm also good friends with Erica Cody and she was there to give me advice. Suzanne Jackson gave me her number and said to call her anytime.

READ MORE: Virgin Media announces new hosts of Six O'Clock Show

"They've been so supportive. So you can really see there's like a Dancing with the Stars family – a sort of sense of community here with every class."

The model said she is “ready to just have fun” on the show.

"I'm feeling extremely excited. I feel a bit giddy as well, and I've met everyone and everyone's kind of feeling the same. We're nervous. We're like, why did we agree to this?

"But we're also ready to just have fun. I was a stage school kid growing up but I haven't done anything like Latin dancing, ballroom dancing, anything that's quite technical like that. So that's the daunting part but between that and just going out with friends and dancing in clubs - I think I've got a bit of rhythm, so I should be OK,” she added.

The Blanchardstown native came to our attention after she was discovered by a modelling agency in the summer of 2020 after she posted pictures online.

In October 2022, Katja guest hosted Ireland AM for a week. A month later, it was announced that Katja would take up full-time hosting duties of the weekend edition of the programme.

In the past month Katja has been announced as the new presenter of The Six O’ Clock Show alongside Brian Dowling. Brian previously appeared on the 2020 series of Dancing with the Stars.

Katja is the ninth celebrity dancer to be announced as part of this year’s line up.

On Friday night’s Late Late Show, former Miss World Rosanna Davison, newsreader Eileen Dunne, Wild Youth singer David Whelan, drag queen superstar Blu Hydrangea, and TikTok sensation Miriam Mullins were revealed as five of the 11 hopefuls vying for the glitterball trophy in early 2024.

2FM and Ireland's Fittest Family presenter Laura Fox was announced on Sunday and Fair City actor Shane Quigley Murphy was announced on Monday, while champion jockey Davy Russell was unveiled on Tuesday.

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