Jennifer Zamparelli set to front new season of ‘Dancing with the Stars’, despite surprise 2FM exit

The 44-year-old, who has fronted the hit Sunday night show since 2019, is expected to reprise her role co-hosting the programme when it returns for a new season.

Despite speculation around the future of the celebrity-packed show, which is produced externally by ShinAwiL, it is due to return for another series in January of next year – with Zamparelli at the helm.

A source confirmed that she remains on “extremely good terms” with RTÉ, despite her decision to move on from her 2FM weekday morning show.

“Jennifer is a huge talent, one of RTÉ’s biggest stars and she’s done a brilliant job at making that show her own,” said the source.

“Even with the change of presenters from Nicky Byrne to Doireann Garrihy earlier this year, she wasn’t fazed at all. She is considered a safe pair of hands, a real pro and is set to return as its co-presenter when it comes back in 2025.”

Zamparelli was one of four well-known presenters who announced they were quitting 2FM back in May. The raft of departures left bosses at the station shell-shocked.

In the same week that the 2 Johnnies – aka Johnny Smacks and Johnny B – confirmed they were leaving the station, the broadcaster announced she was also moving on after 10 years with 2FM.

News of those exits came just weeks after Garrihy announced her decision to leave 2FM.

Last week, Garrihy’s former co-host Donncha O’Callaghan became the fifth high-profile presenter to announce he was moving on. O’Callaghan, a retired Ireland rugby international, is bringing out his first children’s book.

Zamparelli cited her young children Florence and Enzo as part of the reason she had decided to hang up her microphone, saying she feels “now is the time to give them a little more of me”.

However, she has left the door wide open to future projects with the national broadcaster. In one of her final shows on the radio station, she stated that she “hasn’t left RTÉ, just 2FM”.

Jennifer Zamparelli and Lottie Ryan joke they weren’t offered enough money to co-host Late Late Show at the VIP Style Awards 2023

Zamparelli told her on-air replacement, Laura Fox, how it had been a “privilege” to work at the station for so long but she knew she had made the right decision for her family. “Last night when it came on the news, I was watching with my kids and when the newsreader explained the reason why I want to spend time with my family, my son hugged me,” she added.

RTÉ is in a state of flux as it tries to regain its footing after a year of uncertainty following damaging controversies.

Last week, RTÉ director general Kevin Bakhurst unveiled a five-year plan aimed at future-proofing the organisation.

This included a scheme for 400 redundancies and a mooted sale of part of its campus.

There are also plans to outsource The Late Late Show and long-running soap Fair City as part of several cost-saving measures.

When contacted for a response, RTÉ said it “is yet to announce programming for 2025”. It added: “We look forward to giving the audience all the details in the months ahead.”