Dancing with the Stars boss Larry Bass is set to make a presenting change for the 2027 series and the decision is already causing plenty of talk in Irish broadcasting circles.

The ShinAwiL producer, who oversees the hugely popular RTE One Sunday night entertainment show, has made clear to those close to him that a firm decision has been made about who will take to the dancefloor as host when the series kicks off again next January and it is not the woman many viewers assumed would get the gig permanently.

Laura Fox garnered rave reviews when she stepped into the role while the show’s established co-host Doireann Garrihy was on maternity leave.

Fox, a familiar face from her weekday morning show on RTE 2FM, delivered a standout job, with the numbers to prove it. Many viewers and industry insiders alike assumed her performance would be enough to secure the role on a permanent basis.

But Bass, it seems, has other ideas.

A source told Extra.ie: ‘Larry has been saying that Doireann is coming back for next year. That’s the plan as far as he’s concerned. Laura did a wonderful job, but Doireann is his presenter and he wants her back.’

That’s right. Doireann Garrihy is poised to return to the hosting role alongside long-serving co-host Jennifer Zamparelli, with Laura Fox set for the chop.

It means Galway girl Fox will not be returning to the presenter’s chair, with Bass having now confirmed internally that Doireann will be back come January.

Doireann first joined Dancing with the Stars in 2023, taking over from Westlife singer Nicky Byrne as co-host alongside Zamparelli. She quickly became one of the most loved faces on Irish television, her natural warmth, quick wit and genuine enthusiasm for the show earning her a devoted following. She has now presented four series and is widely regarded as an integral part of its continued success.

The 2027 series could, however, prove to be a significant one for the show’s long-term future. Dancing with the Stars has now run for nine series since launching on RTE One in January 2017, and there is growing speculation within the industry that the show may be approaching the end of its current run.

While RTE has not made any formal announcement regarding the future of the series, sources suggest that conversations are ongoing behind the scenes about how long the format can continue to draw the audiences it needs to justify its considerable production costs.

Every year at this point feels like it could be the last,’ one industry insider told us. ‘The show is still performing, but these things don’t last forever and everyone involved knows that. There’s no panic, but there’s certainly an awareness that the clock is ticking.’

For now, however, Bass appears firmly focused on delivering another sparkling series, and with Doireann set to make her much-anticipated return, Laura Fox, for her part, proved an admirable stand in delivering a standout job with the numbers to prove it.

Dancing with the Stars is expected to return to RTE One in January 2027.