From hoedowns to judging showdowns and romantic proposals to emotional reunions, Dancing with the Stars 2025 was a series to remember.
Ahead of Sunday's grand finale - which sees the remaining four contestants Rhys McClenaghan, Kayleigh Trappe, Jack Woolley and Danny O'Carroll vying to take home the glitterball trophy - we've rounded up some of the most memorable moments from 2025's outing.
In no particular order:
No pun intended
New judge Karen Byrne's debut is one for the DWTS history books.
The two-time winner gave viewers the laugh of the season when she made a hilarious gaffe about Eurovision legend Mickey Joe Harte's Paso Doble to Teenage Kicks.
Commenting on the singer's leather trousers, she declared: "It was a bit stiff, Mickey, but that could have been your trousers."
The Ballyfermot native later clarified her comments saying she "genuinely didn't realise what I had said".
"It was only afterwards that people pointed it out," she told RSVP. "It is unfortunate that his name is Mickey and, for me, there were parts of the dance that were stiff."
Can I get a Yee-Haw?
In a first for the series, Dancing with the Stars brought a never-before-seen twist to proceedings with the introduction of Country Week.
The format change-up saw the six quarter finalists dancing a series of toe-tapping country music-themed performances in honour of one of the most popular music genres in the country, transforming the dancefloor into a Nashville style honky tonk for one night only.
It was Olympic gold medal-winning gymnast Rhys McClenaghan and his professional dance partner Laura Nolan who stole the show on the night, delivering a wheelie good American Smooth to Nathan Carter’s version of Wagon Wheel.
Watch: Rhys McClenaghan and Laura Nolan dance to Wagon Wheel
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Judge Karen Byrne said the routine gave her goosebumps, while Loraine Barry praised it for being "absolute perfection."
Stetsons at the ready for next year's outing!
Cookin' up a storm
Bursting with positivity, Kevin Dundon put a smile on the faces of many viewers during his time on Dancing with the Stars.
Despite mixed reviews from the judges, the celebrity chef had all the right ingredients to make an impact and understandably became a fan favourite.
Though Kevin Dundon didn't make it to the finals, his performances and journey on Dancing with the Stars were truly memorable for his fun, genuine nature and impressive progress.
From turning green to dance to I'm a Believer by Smash Mouth from the classic Shrek for Movie Week, to scoring an impressive 35 points for his Freestyle dance alongside Team Footloose in Week 9, the Wexford-man really did bring the fun factor to the show.
Following his departure, the eternally optimistic star, said: "I feel great. I've had the best time of my life. I feel super fit," adding that his pro partner and mentor Rebecca Scott, had "the patience of a saint".
We are family!
Mrs Brown's Boys star Danny O’Carroll shared an emotional reunion with his dad Brendan while rehearsing for the semi-finals.
Danny previously shared how he hoped his dad would be able to come back to Ireland to see him perform in the show if he made it to the final, but Brendan couldn't wait any longer and jetted in from Florida to give his beloved son a big squeeze.
The star had previously admitted that his greatest wish was for his "best friend" to be in the audience. 'I'd love to get to the final, hoping that my dad would come home to see me," he said.
In a video posted on social media, Danny's eyes filled with tears as he hugged his father. "He made it home for semi-finals.. Thank you, Dad," Danny wrote, alongside three heart emojis.
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A knock-out friendship
During Dedication Week, taekwondo athlete Jack Woolley honored Olympic hero and two-time gold medal-winning boxer Kellie Harrington with a touching dance performance.
Woolley and his pro partner Alex Vladimirov danced an American Smooth to Grace by The Wolfe Tones, a song that has become synonymous with Kellie after she sang it at the Olympics.
Inspired by the support shown to him when he suffered a random assault just weeks after his first Olympics appearance in 2021, Woolley explained how Harrington always been one of his biggest supporters in and outside of sport.
He recalled how after he was attacked in Dublin and left needing plastic surgery, she was the first person to check on him at his house and see if there was anything she could do.
Watch: Jack and Alex dance an American Smooth to Grace by The Wolfe Tones
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Put a ring on it
Queen Bey once sang: 'Cause if you like it, then you should've put a ring on it' - and that's exactly what singer Jake Carter did as he popped the question to pro dancer and judge, Karen Byrne. And of course it had to take place on the DWTS dancefloor.
Jake Carter and Karen Byrne, who won the second series of the show in 2018, got engaged at the Dancing with the Stars studio over the semi-final weekend.
Thee Liverpool singer Carter arrived with their dog Lenny and dropped onto a knee.
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"Hello missus. So, seven years ago, we met on this dancefloor and both our lives changed forever. It's the perfect place to come back and ask you, Karen, will you marry me?" he said to Byrne, who looked in shock.
"Well, say something," he said. "Are you actually for real, Jake?", she replied, and he responded, "Is it a yes?"
"Yeah, oh my God," Byrne said, before hugging Carter.
In a video posted to social media with James Patrice, Dancing with the Stars judge Byrne explained how the surprise came about.
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"They [producers] basically said to me on set yesterday, we're going to do a thing where you're handing back the trophy and we're going to film it", she explained. "So I'm on set with the trophy and everyone was there and then I heard these paws coming in and I says 'That sounds like a dog'.
"I turned around, Lenny's coming in, Jake's coming in behind him and then Jake gets down on one knee and they start playing our whole journey in the background.
"I nearly died, I was in pure and utter shock."
Oh to be a guest at their wedding - off we go to dust our hats off!
O My Days!
Fright night was packed full of spootackular routines and devilish dances - but it was Rhys McClenaghan and Laura Nolan who not only won the night - but also the season! We've been watching their performance on repeat.
The Olympic gymnast and his pro partner received a standing ovation for their vampire-inspired Paso Doble to O Fortuna by Hidden Citizens.
Judge Karen said "that dance was one of the best dances I've ever seen on my millions of years on the show" - and we couldn't agree more.
Watch: Rhys McClenaghan and Laura Nolan dance a Paso Doble to O Fortuna
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Not surprisingly, the couple received a perfect score of 40 points.
Model student
Throughout her DWTS journey, former Miss Universe Ireland, Aishah Akorede, was open about her health condition Sickle Cell Disease - a blood condition which impacts around 68,000 people in Europe.
The 25-year-old Kildare native, who's currently studying a Masters in law, spoke about experiencing painful health episodes. But there was no stopping this determined young lady and her pro partner Robert Rowiński, with the couple making it all the way to week nine and reaching the semi finals in spectacular style.
Following her exit, Akorede vowed to continue to raise awareness about the condition, saying: "There are so many illnesses that people don't know about, and this one is unseen, so it is harder to understand.
"The main thing is for people to be kind to everyone because you don’t know what someone is going through. I hope this starts a conversation and I want to continue raising awareness on a national scale."
She added: "As time went on I built up the strength and resilience to continue dancing. That is the reality of life, it is so hard when you start something new.
"You have to keep going and keep progressing and that is how you get better and stronger.
"When I first joined the show, I was terrified that I wouldn't be able to keep up. I am really happy."
The Big Finale
The remaining four couples are gearing themselves up for the grand finale of Dancing with the Stars this Sunday as they make one last bid to bring home the Glitterball trophy.
Each couple will dance two routines on the night as they battle it out for the winning title.
Along with the finalists, this Sunday's finale will also see the ultimate Dancing with the Stars class of 2025 reunion, as all seven eliminated celebrities: Mickey Joe Harte, Elaine Crowley, Joanna Donnelly, Yasmin Seky, Gearóid Farrelly, Kevin Dundon and Aishah Akorede and their pro partners return to the dancefloor with a special performance to Kylie Minogue's Wow.
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