Former State Pathologist Dr Marie Cassidy joins Dancing with the Stars

The talent show kicks off in the New Year and will see Cassidy joining the four celebrities already named this week.

Glasgow-born Marie said: “I haven’t stopped smiling since I was asked to be part of Dancing with the Stars. ​

“It’s going to be a challenge as I’m not used to just having fun. But bring it on, the more sequins the better. Just got to learn to dance. Over to you, partner.”

Dr Marie Cassidy was the first woman to be State Pathologist and held the role for 14 years until 2018.

During that time, she worked on some of the most high-profile cases in Ireland. She is also Professor of Forensic Medicine at the Royal College of Surgeons of Ireland and Trinity College.

She is joining Ireland’s Eurovision entrant Brooke Scullion, former Dublin footballer Paul Brogan, influencer and entrepreneur Suzanne Jackson and drag queen Panti Bliss, who will form half of the show’s first same-sex couple.

Dubliner Suzanne Jackson began blogging in 2010 under the ‘SoSueMe’ handle, but by 2013 she left her day job to dedicate her time to her own business.

In 2016, Suzanne made another leap and launched her own beauty range SoSu Cosmetics which has proven to be hugely successful and grown to be worth an estimated €2.12million.

“I’ve watched Dancing With The Stars for years and I love the show and everything about it – from the dancing, the glam and the costumes to all the incredible people involved,” says Suzanne.

Paul Brogan is an All-Ireland winning former Dublin GAA footballer and brother to Bernard and Alan.

Paul was on Dublin’s winning team for the 2008 O’Byrne Cup and was part of the Dublin panel that won three Leinster titles and the 2011 All-Ireland senior football championship.​

“I’m so excited to be part of this show,” says Paul (36). “I am a competitive person, but this is way out of my comfort zone and from what training I have done so far, I know it is not going to be easy. It will take a lot of hard work, but it’ll also be a lot of fun.”

“Rehearsals have been great so far and I’m looking forward to the live shows. It will be a great experience and a new test. ...This will just be a different game in a different stadium – Croke Park to RTÉ!”

Rory O’Neill aka Panti Bliss is one of Ireland’s best-known drag queens and owns one of Dublin’s most popular pubs Panti Bar.

O’Neill will be dancing with a male dancer partner each week, but in full drag.

“I feel really privileged to be part of the first same-sex couple competing on Dancing with the Stars from the very start of a series. It’s a really exciting time!” he said.

And the fifth name we know so far is Brooke Scullion who hails from Derry and represented Ireland at Eurovision in 2022 with ‘That’s Rich’.

The remaining six contestants will be revealed this week and by next Sunday we will know the full line up.

Dancing with the Stars starts on Sunday nights in January on RTE One.