FORMER Miss Universe Ireland Aishah Akorede thinks she could be losing out on public votes in Dancing With The Stars — because some people have trouble spelling her name.
Despite high scores from the judges, the 25-year-old has ended up in two consecutive dance-offs on the RTE show due to a low public vote.
But Aishah told The Irish Sun: “My uncle has been spelling my name wrong every week when he was voting for me so I can only imagine what the rest of the public are doing to me!”
However Aishah — which means ‘alive and well’ in Arabic — believes experiencing tie-break dances with Joanna Donnelly and then Yasmin Seky might be to her and dance partner Robert Rowinski’s benefit now the competition is hotting up.
She said: “We’re hoping we’re not in a dance-off again but if we are it won’t phase us as we’re the only couple in the competition now who have done a dance-off.”
‘I’VE WORKED HARD’
Aishah revealed herself and pro Robert were so convinced they were heading for the bottom two on a previous show, they rehearsed their dance steps towards the end.
She told us: “As the judges were doing their interviews, Robert and I were backstage practicing, because we wanted to make sure we did our best. You don’t want to go out of this competition in bad form.
“I’ve worked hard to do it even better the second time.”
The Kildare woman admits her biggest wish on each show is to hear her name being read out as going through to the next week — but she doesn’t dread the dance-offs anymore.
Aishah said: “You’re always hoping your name will be called out as you stand there with the other dancers. But if it isn’t, that’s fine. I’ve done the dance-off twice and they’ve gotten easier.
“Doing the first dance-off really threw me but on the second dance you could see me smiling.”
Aishah has been battling sickle cell disease since birth — and needed the permission of her doctors to enter the dance show.
She said: “I’ve had a lot of people with health conditions contacting me to say they feel comfortable now to follow their dreams after seeing how much I push myself on DWTS.
“The fact that I’m impacting people makes me feel I am supposed to be here on this show.”
However, some viewers aren’t so sure TV chef Kevin Dundon still deserves to be on DWTS.
DWTS COMPLAINTS
RTE’s Liveline erupted last Monday with callers livid that the 58-year-old hadn’t yet ended up in a dance-off.
But Aishah stuck up for him, telling us: “Kevin is the oldest dancer in the competition. I see how hard he works.
“For me as someone who has sickle cell, I have to work really hard to make sure I’m on the same level as the young people in the competition. And if you saw how hard Kevin was working, I don’t think anyone would have anything to say about him being in the competition.”
ROLE MODEL
Aishah, who has Nigerian roots, said she is hoping her high-profile routines might encourage people from minorities across Ireland.
She said: “Growing up I never saw people like me in the places where I really wanted to be so I’m glad I get to be someone that people can look up to.
“I have had lots of young black people contacting me saying thank-you for opening the doors but there were people who were opening doors before me like Jordan Conroy, Erica Cody and Katja Mia.”
GLITTERBALL STARS – ALL THE DWTS WINNERS
SERIES ONE – 2017: Former Kerry footballer Aidan O’Mahony beat the odds to be crowned Ireland’s first-ever Dancing With The Stars champion alongside pro partner Valeria Milova, beating out former Fair City star Aoibhin Garrihy and Red Rock actress Denise McCormack.
SERIES TWO – 2018: Singer Jake Carter – the younger brother of country crooner Nathan – was just 19 when he nabbed the Glitterball in 2018 with pro dancer Karen Byrne. And the dance partnership later blossomed into love for the popular pair, who confirmed they were dating months after their big win.
SERIES THREE – 2019: Popular presenter Mairead Ronan became the first female winner, landing the Glitterball with Kilkenny dancer John Nolan in 2019. The mum-of-three said her victory was proof “you can do anything you put your mind to”.
SERIES FOUR – 2020: The 2020 series finale was brought forward due to the outbreak of Covid-19, with 2FM star Lottie Ryan left in tears at clinching the trophy with pro partner Pasquale La Rocca.
SERIES FIVE – 2022: Returning to screens in 2022 after a year off in 2021 due to the continuing coronavirus crisis, ex-jockey Nina Carberry became the third woman on the trot to win the Glitterball, marking a second title for pro Pasquale.
SERIES SIX – 2023: RTE 2FM star Carl Mullan was left stunned back in 2023 when he lifted the Glitterball with pro Emily Barker. The underdog came out on top against fellow finalists Brooke Scullion, Suzanne Jackson and Damien McGinty.
SERIES SEVEN – 2024: Paralympian Jason Smyth came out on top as the 2024 series winner, with pro Karen Byrne becoming the second dancer to win the DWTS title twice. The legally blind athlete moved viewers to tears with an emotional showdance to secure the title.
Tomorrow night is Orchestra Night on Dancing With The Stars, with the RTE Concert Orchestra playing live in the studio as the remaining seven couples dance their routines.
Aishah will dance an American Smooth to Vanessa Carlton’s A Thousand Miles with Robert.
- The show airs on RTE One at 6.30pm.
