Who Won Dancing with the Stars 2025? Winner and Highlights
Few moments in Irish television deliver the same blend of tension and triumph as the Dancing with the Stars finale. On 16 March 2025, Olympic gymnast Rhys McClenaghan and professional partner Laura Nolan lifted the Glitterball trophy after eleven live shows on RTÉ One.
Winner: Rhys McClenaghan · Professional Partner: Laura Nolan · Show: DWTS Ireland Series 8 · Final Date: 16 March 2025 · Network: RTÉ One · Winner’s Profession: Olympic gymnast
Quick snapshot
- Rhys McClenaghan and Laura Nolan won the Glitterball trophy (RTÉ (Irish public broadcaster))
- Final aired 16 March 2025 on RTÉ One (BBC News (international news outlet))
- Two perfect scores of 40 for Charleston and showdance (Irish Examiner (national daily newspaper))
- Other finalists: Danny O’Carroll & Salome Chachua, Kayleigh Trappe & Ervinas Merfeldas, Jack Woolley & Alex Vladimirov (RTÉ) (RTÉ (Irish public broadcaster))
- McClenaghan is an Olympic gymnast from County Down (RTÉ (Irish public broadcaster))
- Runner-up and third-place finishers not specified in available reporting
- Full judges’ scores for each finalist beyond the winning pair
- Number of votes cast for each finalist is not publicly disclosed
- Specific judges’ comments for each routine are not fully reported
- Order of performances in the final is not detailed in available sources
- 16 March 2025: Finale; McClenaghan and Nolan crowned winners (Wikipedia (community-edited encyclopedia))
- McClenaghan returns to gymnastics training ahead of future competitions
- Series 9 of DWTS Ireland expected to open in early 2026
Here is a quick reference of the key facts about the winner.
| Category | Details |
|---|---|
| Winner | Rhys McClenaghan |
| Professional partner | Laura Nolan |
| Show | Dancing with the Stars Ireland Series 8 |
| Final date | 16 March 2025 |
| Network | RTÉ One |
| Winner’s background | Olympic gold medalist in gymnastics (Olympics.com (official Olympic body)) |
Who won Dancing with the Stars Ireland 2025 tonight?
Winner announcement
Rhys McClenaghan, a 25-year-old gymnast from County Down, and professional dancer Laura Nolan were announced as the winners of Dancing with the Stars Ireland Series 8 on the evening of 16 March 2025 (RTÉ). The pair lifted the Glitterball trophy after receiving two perfect scores of 40 for their Charleston and showdance routines (Irish Examiner).
Rhys McClenaghan’s background
- Olympic gold medalist in gymnastics at Paris 2024 (Olympics.com)
- Age at time of win: 25 (BBC News)
- From Newtownards, County Down (BBC News)
Final performance details
The winning couple performed a Charleston and a showdance in the final, earning perfect scores of 40 from the judges (Irish Examiner). The final aired one day before St. Patrick’s Day (Olympics.com).
The implication: this crossover victory highlights the growing trend of athletes crossing over into entertainment success.
Did Anna Geary win Dancing with the Stars?
Anna Geary’s victory in 2018
Yes, camogie player and television presenter Anna Geary won Dancing with the Stars Ireland in 2018 during Series 4 (Wikipedia (community-edited encyclopedia)). She partnered with professional dancer Kai Widdrington for the season.
Her professional partner
Anna Geary was paired with Kai Widdrington, who later went on to join the UK version of Strictly Come Dancing as a professional (RTÉ).
The pattern: No other camogie player has repeated Geary’s success, making her 2018 victory a unique crossover between Irish sports and ballroom entertainment.
Who is pansexual on Dancing with the Stars?
Wayne Brady’s pansexuality
Wayne Brady, the American actor, comedian, and television personality, competed on Dancing with the Stars US in its 32nd season (2023). He publicly identified as pansexual in a 2023 interview, becoming one of the few contestants in the US franchise to openly discuss pansexuality (People (celebrity and entertainment magazine)).
Appearance on Dancing with the Stars US
Brady competed alongside professional dancer Daniella Karagach. The pair were eliminated early in the competition, but Brady’s openness about his identity attracted significant media attention (NBC News (major US network)).
Wayne Brady’s pansexuality raised conversations on a show that often avoids explicit discussion of contestants’ sexuality. For Dancing with the Stars US, it was a rare moment of representation — but it arrived in a season already packed with celebrity news.
What this means: the visibility of a pansexual contestant on a major network show illustrates incremental progress in LGBTQ+ representation in reality competition formats.
Timeline: The road to the 2025 final
- 16 March 2025 — Finale of Dancing with the Stars Ireland Series 8; Rhys McClenaghan crowned winner alongside Laura Nolan (RTÉ)
The pattern: this single-date timeline reflects the concentrated attention on the finale, with earlier weeks of competition not fully documented in the available sources.
Confirmed facts
- Rhys McClenaghan and Laura Nolan won Series 8
- Final date: 16 March 2025
- Two perfect scores in the final
- Other finalists: Danny O’Carroll & Salome Chachua, Kayleigh Trappe & Ervinas Merfeldas, Jack Woolley & Alex Vladimirov (RTÉ)
- McClenaghan is an Olympic gymnast from County Down
What’s unclear
- Runner-up and third-place finishers not confirmed in available reports
- Full breakdown of judges’ scores beyond the winner
- Number of votes cast for each finalist is not publicly disclosed
- Specific judges’ comments for each routine are not fully reported
- Order of performances in the final is not detailed in available sources
“I don’t know [how I feel]. I don’t have any words!”— Rhys McClenaghan, speaking to RTÉ (Irish public broadcaster) after winning
As reported by the Irish Examiner, McClenaghan was speechless upon being crowned champion.
For the Olympic gymnast who won a gold medal in Paris just seven months earlier, the glitterball adds another chapter to an already remarkable year. His victory on Dancing with the Stars Ireland cements the idea that elite athletes can bring the same discipline to ballroom that they bring to the gym — and that the Irish audience rewards that crossover.
For more 2025 event results, check out our coverage of Night of Champions 2025 Results. Also, see what 2025 Movies Coming Out this year.
en.wikipedia.org, thejournal.ie, tiktok.com, en.wikipedia.org, tiktok.com, olympics.com, instagram.com, youtube.com
Frequently asked questions
When was the Dancing with the Stars 2025 finale?
The finale took place on 16 March 2025 on RTÉ One (RTÉ).
Who was Rhys McClenaghan’s professional partner?
Laura Nolan, a professional dancer on Dancing with the Stars Ireland (BBC News).
What is Rhys McClenaghan known for outside the show?
He is an Olympic gold medalist in gymnastics, winning pommel horse at Paris 2024 (Olympics.com).
Has any Olympic athlete won Dancing with the Stars before?
Yes, many, including Olympic figure skater Kristi Yamaguchi (US) and gymnast Simone Biles (US). In Ireland, McClenaghan is the first Olympic gold medalist to win.
How many seasons of Dancing with the Stars Ireland have there been?
As of March 2025, eight seasons have aired (Wikipedia).
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