The first contestant for this year’s Dancing With The Stars has been announced

There's not long left to go.

Broadcaster Mairéad Ronan has been officially announced as the first celebrity to be taking part in the new series of RTÉ One's Dancing With the Stars. 

The series will return on January 6, with a new batch of contestants vying for the coveted glitter ball trophy. Mairéad admitted she had a "big ball of nerves" in her stomach ahead of her stint on the RTÉ dance show. She continued:

"I’ve never done anything glamorous on TV, I’m always out in fields and mucky places with wellies and runners, so now to be in heels and sparkly dresses is both brilliant and brutal.

"The only dancing I do is around the kitchen with my baby, so this is going to be a whole new experience for me! "

The next contestants who will be joining Mairéad will be revealed on The Ryan Tubridy Show on Monday, December 3.

Jennifer Zamparelli and Nicky Byrne will join forces this year to present the new series of Dancing with the Stars.

The new season will air for 12 weeks - from January 6 to March 24 - and see a total of 11 celebrities  pair up with their professional dancing partners step out of their comfort zone and onto the dance floor. Each pairing will have a different dancing genre to master every week from the paso doble to the waltz and they’ll have just seven days to perfect their routine before performing live to the nation.