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Irish Mirror
Irish Mirror
National
Katie Gallagher

Over half a million tune in for 'historic' return of Dancing with the Stars - beating Tubridy and Tiernan to top spot

Over half a million tuned in to watch the return of Dancing with the Stars this weekend - beating Ryan Tubridy’s Late Late Show and Tommy Tiernan off the top ratings spot.

The popular RTE entertainment series returned with a bang on Sunday evening with a historic show.

Irish Eurovision star Brooke Scullion topped the leader board with the highest ever score reached for a first dance in the show's history, along with a history-making performance from the show's first drag queen Panti Bliss and her dancing partner Denys Samson.

Read more: RTE Room to Improve fans left gushing over Irish farmhouse transformation

The night also marked 2fm radio star Doireann Garrihy's debut as the new co-presenter alongside Jennifer Zamparelli following Nicky Byrne’s departure.

The show had an average of 525,000 viewers (including RTÉ+1), and a 42% share, plus 17,200 streams on the RTÉ Player.

The Late Late Show made its January return on Friday night and featured Irish Rugby Sevens Olympian and TV presenter Greg O'Shea, crime journalist Nicola Tallant and former Dancing with the Stars judge Julian Benson.

The first show of the new year pulled in an average audience of 429,300 (including RTÉ+1), a 40% share and a further 19,300 streams on the RTÉ Player. (*Live+VOSDAL)

Roy Keane appearing on the Tommy Tiernan Show (RTE)

The Tommy Tiernan Show returned on Saturday to RTÉ One for its 7th series.

422,700 viewers tuned in to watch the comedian interview legendary footballer Roy Keane, holistic sex educator Jenny Keane and a performance from Soda Blonde.

It had a 37% share, with a further 68,300 streams on the RTÉ Player.

But it was Dermot Bannon’s eagerly awaited return with a new series of Room to Improve that proved a winner over the weekend, returning on Sunday evening for series 14 with an average of 442,000 viewers (including RTÉ+1), and 34% share.

The episode saw architect Dermot and Quantity Surveyor Claire help a young couple in Tullamore renovate an old dwelling with special significance.

A dramatic wedding showdown on Fair City, during which Orla's wedding day brought an unexpected surprise from Paul, also maintained the crowd of telly watchers on Sunday evening, with an audience of 395,000 (including RTÉ+1) and a 28% share.

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