Maura Higgins has made a spectacular start to her journey on Dancing with the Stars US, finding herself at the very top of the women’s leaderboard after her first performance.
Paired with professional dancer Mark Ballas, the Longford star took to the dance floor to perform a foxtrot to Alannah Myles’ Black Velvet.
The performance impressed all three judges, who each awarded the couple seven points.
With a total of 21 out of 30, Maura and Mark finished the night with the highest score, putting them in first place on the leaderboard.
Judge Carrie Ann Inaba called the performance “mesmerising”, while Derek Hough praised how smooth the routine was.
Maura Higgins has made a spectacular start to her journey on Dancing with the Stars US
Higgins was among eight female celebrities dancing on the second night of the new season, following the men’s opening performances on Tuesday.
Love Thy Nader star Sarah Jane Nader and her pro partner, Hailey Bills, were eliminated at the end of Wednesday night’s show
Higgins has become increasingly familiar to US television audiences in recent years, appearing on Love Island USA: Aftersun before finishing as runner-up on The Traitors earlier this year.