Dancing with the Stars viewers baffled by RTÉ's live apology for judge's 'harmless' slip-up

It was a night of dazzling performances and high emotions as Dancing with the Stars Ireland crowned its 2025 champions, but one unexpected moment on RTÉ had fans talking just as much as the Glitterball trophy.

Olympic gymnast Rhys McClenaghan and his professional partner Laura Nolan took home the title after a flawless final, which saw them deliver a gravity-defying Charleston and an emotional show dance to Beautiful Things by Benson Boone.

But amid the celebrations, judge Karen Byrne made headlines for her passionate critique, in which she accidentally let slip the word "feckin'" while praising McClenaghan's final routine.

Clearly caught up in the moment, Byrne told the gymnast: "Rhys and Laura, what a way to finish - that was just feckin' beautiful."

The excitement in the ballroom was palpable, but moments later, host Jennifer Zamparelli issued an on-air apology, telling viewers: "We're all very excited here in the ballroom and I just want to say if anybody was offended by some bad language, we do apologise."

But instead of outrage over the slip-up, viewers were left rolling their eyes at the unnecessary apology, taking to social media in disbelief.

One fan wrote: "Irish telly is so miserable why are you apologising cuz someone said 'feck'"

Another added: "Apologising for 'Feckin' is something else now", while one person joked, "Ffs - feck is NOT a curse word..... if you can say it in front of your granny, its ok."

Others pointed out the irony of RTÉ issuing an apology for a minor slip-up while still dealing with the fallout from the broadcaster's recent financial controversies. "Tubridy scammed us out of €150,000 and no apology yet they're quick to apologise for a feck. It hurts me to pay my TV licence."

Despite the minor controversy, the night's real winners were McClenaghan and Nolan who wowed both the judges and the audience with their incredible performance.

The Olympian's stunning performances saw him top the leaderboard with two perfect 40s, sealing his place in DWTS Ireland history.

The grand finale ended with a feel-good reunion as all seven eliminated celebrities returned to the floor, performing a disco-themed routine to Kylie Minogue's Wow.

While McClenaghan may have secured the DWTS title, it seems Karen Byrne's 'feckin' moment might just be one of the most talked-about parts of the night.

READ MORE | PICTURES: Ireland's Italia ‘90 heroes welcomed to Áras for special anniversary celebrations