Erica Cody says she’s trying to keep her Dancing with the Stars partner Denys Samson’s spirits high whilst his family are worried for their safety in Ukraine.
Professional dancer Denys is a newcomer to the RTE show this year, and has spoken out on his fears for his family and friends at home in the Ukraine amid Russia’s war on the country, as he is currently based here in Ireland performing in the dance series.
Speaking ahead of their quarter final performance this weekend, Erica said the show has been a form of escapism for him, and said she and the fellow cast and crew have been trying to be a support system for him amid the horror and worry.
Asked whether his family will come to stay with him in Dublin, she told Irish Daily Mirror: “It's still kind of up in the air, but for now, they're safe. "But, look, we don’t know how things are going to go.
“I don't want to speak for him, but I do know that his mam and his auntie are quite worried with the way that things are going, so I'm just trying to keep the spirits high and give him as much love and support, as I can as his partner.”
The popular pairing, who have been topping the leaderboard weekly since the show started, faced another blow last week - after Denys contracted covid and was forced to miss the show.
Erica, 25, admitted she worried for her partner being stuck at home with nothing to distract him from the news, but said she and Denys were left ‘overwhelmed’ with the support from Irish people through everything.
“I have to say it's quite overwhelming to see the support and love that he's getting because it's hard to fathom what he's going through emotionally being away from home with everything that's going on.
“So obviously, you know, obviously his family and friends are still in the Ukraine.
“But the support from everyone from the cast, the crew, the production, everyone, like even online and beyond. Like, it's just been endless.
“And I just think in times like this, the Irish people really know how to come together and give support when it's needed.
“So he's totally besotted and totally overwhelmed.
“And so so so grateful for all the support.”
After enlisting the help of departed pro dancer Ervinas Merfeldas for her performance last week in Denys’ absence, the singer admitted she’s bursting with excitement to have him back by her side this Sunday, as the duo get set to take on the cha cha cha to Bette Midler's Mambo Italiano for Around the World week on the show.
“He's back, thank the Lord,” she gushed.
“I’m so happy to have him back, I missed him so much last week.
“He's back and he’s feeling so much better health wise. So I'm delighted for him.”
This Sunday's show will see the six finalists and their pro-partners dance to music and routines inspired from various places around the world.
Each dancer will have two dances to perform this weekend - team dances will also take place for the first time this series, with two groups of the three pairs of remaining dancers battling it out in order to secure some more points for themselves on the leaderboard.
And as the competition heats up as the final nears, and votes are becoming more important than ever, the race is on for celebrities to garner as much support as they can get.
Erica said: “I have to say, the support with the voting has just been insane, especially from like my hometown in Baldoyle, and in Howth and Sutton because I grew up and went to school around those areas.
“Like, I was backing into my driveway the other morning and I saw that my neighbour had to put up a vote for Erica to poster on her lamppost and like blue and yellow balloons.
“And it's just little things like that, that we don't realise how kind people can be.
However, after facing the first ever dance off of the series, despite continuously getting top scores from the judges, the Dubliner said she’s also preparing for ‘anything to happen’ - noting how much popularity plays a big part in the show too.
“Sure look, I knew signing up for the show that it was going to be a popularity contest as much as it was a dance competition," she said.
“So I think you just kind of have to take those things in your stride to just be ready for anything but I just feel like this show you have to always expect the unexpected because things can go either way at any given moment, like especially with covid. You don’t know what's going to happen.
“So I think just enjoying every day and every week that you get to say the competition is a huge plus that even if that means you know being at the top of the leaderboard and then ending up in the dance off.
“I find that when you are sometimes at the top of the leaderboard people just assume you are safe because you have more points, but if anything, it's actually the opposite.
“And you still need the support and the votes of the fact that we've been getting that has been amazing.
She went on: “That was one thing that I was worried about going into the competition was that like, I was like, I don't have a huge social media following like the likes of Matthew [McNabb] and Nicholas [Roche] and stuff like that.
“So I was like, I don't know how I'll get on voting wise, I'll just have to be ready for the dance off if that ever comes around.
“But I have to say I'm so shocked and so thrilled and grateful for all the support that I've been getting at home and yeah, I've been paying visits and stuff to like my old school.”
Meanwhile, speaking as Electric Picnic announced their 2022 line-up, the singer admitted she'd love to perform at the festival some time but said she's currently gearing up for her summer of gigging after the show ends - with potentially a whole new group of fans.
“I hope people of all walks of life will end up at my shows after this," she said.
"You know, because it's a whole new audience and the support from everyone is just incredible anyway, so I'm excited to see some new faces at our future shows, especially my ones in April and May."
Read more: Dublin singer Erica Cody to dedicate Dancing With The Stars performance to idol Samantha Mumba
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