Mickey Joe Harte's shocked reaction after signing up for Dancing with the Stars

Eurovision legend Mickey Joe Harte has said rehearsals for Dancing with the Stars are "intense".

The Donegal native is one of 11 hopefuls who have signed up to the show, which kicks off in January on RTE One.

But Mickey – who is partnered up with five-time All-Ireland Latin dance champion Daniela Roze – has described rehearsals as "intensive".

READ MORE: Eurovision legend signs up to take part in RTE's Dancing With The Stars

READ MORE: Former You’re A Star winner Mickey Joe Harte never signed on the dole but had to make compromises

Speaking exclusively to The Irish Mirror, the singer revealed: "It’s intensive. It’s hugely intensive. We’re all in the same boat in that respect.

"Everybody signs up for it and thinks ‘ah, I’ll be grand’ but when you’re in the middle of it, you realise ‘my God’.

"They’re trying to get you to be a pro dancer quite quickly. It’s like five hours a day for four days a week.

"That’s the craic."

Mickey Joe Harte and his dance partner Daniela Roze

Mickey admitted he was "sounded out" about whether or not he would sign up for the show.

He said he always said no to it for years, but it "felt right" this time around, saying he wanted to get out of his "comfort zone".

He said: "I was sounded out… I knew they were fishing and would I be up for it, if I was asked.

"I wasn’t really. Then I didn’t hear anything and then this year Larry Bass called me.... ShinAwiL did You’re A Star back in the day and they are a great production company so I felt like it was the right time.

"I felt like I needed a challenge, and I wanted to step out of my comfort zone and do something that challenges my brain and my body.

"You can only say no so often," he said, laughing.

But before Mickey makes his dancing debut, the star is hoping to have a Christmas No. 1 as he teams up for a duet with Rory Gallagher.

Mickey Joe Harte and Rory Gallagher

Hey! Home For Christmas was written by Mickey and Rory over Zoom and WhatsApp, and similarly recorded in two different countries with Mickey recording his guitar and vocals in Donegal and Rory recording his parts in Lanzarote.

The record is very poignant with the lyric and meaning of the song which focuses on the phenomenon of young Irish people returning home from their current abode in Australia, Dubai, London, New York etc and walking into their local pub and seeing an ex-partner with feelings lingering, perhaps sadly only on one side of the relationship.

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