'It’s bittersweet': RTE's Dancing with the Stars announces major changes ahead of new season

Ahead of the upcoming ninth series of Dancing with the Stars (DWTS), RTÉ have announced the arrival of three brand new dancers!

Rehearsals are currently underway and the newest faces who will be waltzing into the hearts of Irish audiences are Arianna Favaro, Leonardo Lini and James Cutler.  

This means saying farewell to three pro dancers, exiting stage left are Salome Chachua, Denys Samson and Simone Arena. 

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The identities of the celebrity dancers who will make up the DWTS Class of 2026, along with the pro partner pairings, will be announced in the coming weeks.  

Getting to know the new dancers, Arianna Favaro is an Italian Latin-American style dancer known for both her competitive career and her work on stage. Born in Bologna, she began dancing at age 8 and quickly developed a passion for Latin dance. 

Speaking about joining the show, she said, “I’m really thrilled to be joining Dancing with the Stars. It’s something new and special for me; an amazing opportunity and challenge that I can’t wait to experience.” 

Leonardo Lini is an Italian dancer from Bassano del Grappa, known for his talent in Latin-American, ballroom and modern dance. He comes from a dance family - his older sister, Giada, is also a professional dancer. 

Commenting on the exciting news, he said, “​​I’m incredibly excited for my first season of Dancing with the Stars. I can’t wait to give it my all and share my passion, my experience, and everything I love about this art with everyone.”

James Cutler is a British professional ballroom and Latin dancer. Last year, he took part in the Belgian version of DWTS as a professional dancer – he reached the latter stages of the competition with his celebrity, Miss Angel, ultimately finishing in seventh place. He has also assisted with with choreography on Strictly Come Dancing. 

He said, “I’m so delighted to be joining Dancing with the Stars! I’ve heard the audience here is amazing and unmatched in their warmth, energy and passion, so I’m really looking forward to experiencing that! Joining the cast is like joining a great big wacky, glamorous family! I can’t wait to meet my partner and get down to business! I’m hoping I can bring something new and exciting to the show. Bring on the live Sunday shows…. Sláinte!” 

Meanwhile pro dancer Laura Nolan is back, after her partnership with Rhys McClenaghan ended in victory last season. She returns alongside Ervinas Merfeldas, Robert Rowiński, Stephen Vincent, Maciej Zięba, Alex Vladimirov, Rebecca Scott and Daniela Roze. Kylee Vincent is also back in the ballroom after giving birth to her first child last year. 

Speaking about their time on DWTS and closing out this chapter, professional dancers Salome, Denys and Simone shared their parting thoughts.  

Salome Chachua said, “After four wonderful seasons, I’ve made the difficult decision to step away from Dancing with the Stars this year for personal reasons. My time on the show has been one of the greatest joys of my career. The energy, the creativity, the incredible team, and of course the warm, welcoming spirit of Ireland. I will truly miss it all. I’m so proud to have reached the final three times, and who knows, maybe one day I’ll be back to finally lift that glitterball trophy… preferably with a celebrity who doesn’t mind a lot of extra rehearsals! Thank you, Ireland, for every step of this unforgettable journey.” 

Denys Samson said,: “It’s bittersweet to announce I won’t be returning to DWTS. This show has shaped so much of my life, and I’m endlessly grateful for every partner, colleague, friend, fan and the incredible team at Shinawil who made this journey feel like home. Most importantly, thank you to the fans — your messages, your votes, your beautiful presents and your unwavering support have lifted me up more than you’ll ever know. I’ve carried every bit of your kindness with me. While this chapter is coming to an end, it will always hold such a special place in my heart. Wishing the cast and team the most magical season yet - I’ll be cheering you on with so much love.” 

Simone Arena said, “After two wonderful seasons, I won’t be returning to Dancing with the Stars this year. I’m so grateful to the incredible production team, crew and everyone who makes the show what it is. Thank you for the beautiful memories.” 

Filling up Sunday evenings with glitz and glamour from January 2026, the RTÉ series will see 12 well-known figures each team up with a professional dancer to perform a live routine every week. Every pairing will have a different dancing genre to master every week, from the Charleston to Salsa, and they’ll have just seven days to perfect their routine before performing live to the nation.  

Each celebrity couple will be scored by an expert panel of four judges: Oti Mabuse, Brian Redmond, Arthur Gourounlion and Karen Byrne, and as well as the viewing public at home, with the winning couple claiming the much-coveted glitter ball trophy at the end of the series.  

Dancing with the Stars is produced by ShinAwiL for RTÉ.