Stand-up Gearóid Farrelly is to take part in Dancing With The Stars, Ireland’s version of Strictly Come Dancing.

The 47-year-old  comedian will take to the dancefloor with a male dance partner, who has yet to be named, in the new year.

He said he was ‘absolutely terrified’ of taking part, but added: ‘Well, I was terrified before the meet and greet, walking into that room was genuinely one of the scariest things I have ever done.'

‘But everybody is so nice, we are gelling as a gang so fast and I’m just enjoying every second of it.’

His partner on the RTÉ show will be announced on Monday, and Farrelly said:  ‘As a young gay kid, if I had seen two men dancing together on the television, it would have been such a relief. My pro partner was also bullied at school because he was the dancer.

‘So, we were really on the same page with this. He’s just the best

‘I was a little concerned at the beginning about being in this man’s space, because he’s straight, and I’m gay, and I didn’t want him to feel uncomfortable, or that he felt like he had to do this. So, we’ve had that chat as well and he is so up for this from a choreography point of view.’

Dancing With The Stars stared in 2017 with stand-up Des Bishop among the line-up, while fellow comics Deirdre O’ Kane, Fred Cooke, Kevin McGahern and Bernard O’Shea have all taken part.

Farrelly has been in the audience for some of their performances, and said: ‘They’re all mates of mine and I love the show. They’ve all said it’s one of the greatest experiences they’ve ever had and said to me: get out of your head, live every second and throw yourself in at the deep end.’

Farrelly is the third celebrity to be announced following former Miss Universe Ireland Aishah Akorede and Mrs. Brown’s Boys actor Danny O’Carroll. 

O’Carroll is third member of the sitcom’s cast to be in the show. His casemate and aunt Eilish O’Carroll took part in 2019, while Rory Cowan competed earlier this year. 

He said:’ I’m not a dancer, so I’m well out of my comfort zone, but I’m going to try to do whatever I can to get to the final…I’m going to give it socks!’

The eight remaining celebrity contestants  will be announced throughout the rest of this week.

Meanwhile, Chris McCasuland competes in the Strictly Come Dancing final in the UK on Saturday, performing a showdance to New Radicals’ You Get What You Give; a waltz to You’ll Never Walk Alone by Gerry and the Pacemakers and a reprisal of their week 8 dance to Instant Karma (We All Shine On) by John Lennon.

It airs on BBC One from 6pm.