DUBLIN – Amber Wilson, the sister of podcaster Vogue Williams, has joined RTÉ’s Dancing with the Stars 2026, entering the competition with a professional background in communications and an on-air profile built through podcasting.
Wilson is partnered with dancer Alex Vladimirov in what has been billed as the first all-female pairing on Dancing with the Stars on Irish television. The duo have already performed a Cha-Cha to “Woman’s World” by Katy Perry during the series.
The pairing is a notable programming and casting decision for a long-running, advertiser-supported prime-time entertainment format: it places representation and on-screen partnership structure at the centre of a mainstream, live-performance series-while also drawing on existing audience awareness from the podcast sector, where Wilson has increasingly appeared as on-mic talent.
Visibility, representation and a format under public scrutiny
In pre-series remarks, Wilson framed the opportunity as both personal challenge and public platform, emphasising the stakes of performing live and the role of representation in entertainment booking. The show is produced for RTÉ, Ireland’s national public service broadcaster, which operates under dual mandates of commercial viability and public-interest obligations, including commitments around diversity and inclusion set out in its governing Broadcasting Act.
It’s a huge challenge and a once-in-a-lifetime experience. That’s what life is all about for me: saying yes to new things and pushing myself outside my comfort zone.
Of course I’m nervous, especially about dancing in front of a live audience, but that’s all part of the buzz. Facing your fears can be terrifying and thrilling in equal measure.
When I was growing up, I didn’t have anyone on screen that I could really relate to. I’ve never seen myself as a role model, but I believe it’s important for audiences to see diverse and authentic representation.
Wilson has also addressed the partnership milestone directly, saying: “Being part of the first female DWTS partnership on Irish television is something I’m deeply proud of, and I feel privileged to have the opportunity to stand on that stage and represent my community.”
From an industry perspective, the on-screen pairing is also a programming signal. Talent-based formats routinely function as high-reach showcases for personalities with existing audiences, and the move to spotlight a first-of-its-kind partnership expands the range of stories a long-running franchise can tell without changing its core mechanics: weekly choreography, live performance, and public-facing commentary. Within RTÉ, such casting decisions also sit alongside evolving internal diversity strategies and oversight by the national media regulator, now the Coimisiún na Meán, which monitors standards in broadcasting and on-demand services.
Who Amber Wilson is: family and education
Wilson is one of three siblings and is the eldest girl and middle child of her mother, Sandra, and her father, Freddie, who died in 2010.
Her secondary education has not been formally confirmed in the public record referenced here, though she is believed to have attended Santa Sabina Dominican College in Sutton, Co Dublin-the same school her younger sister Vogue Williams attended.
According to her LinkedIn profile, Wilson graduated from the University of Aberdeen with a BA in the History of Art and a BA in Psychology. She later graduated from Robert Gordon University, also in Aberdeen, with an MSc in Corporate Communication and Public Affairs. That academic focus in messaging, audience perception and reputational management now intersects directly with her on-air role in a high-visibility entertainment franchise.
Pic: Gareth Chaney/Collins Photos
A communications career that intersects with talent-facing media
Wilson’s professional track has been in marketing, communications, and public affairs-an area that often sits adjacent to the entertainment business even when roles are not on-camera, particularly through brand work, campaign planning, and media strategy.
Following her postgraduate study, Wilson interned at Elevate PR, then worked in marketing roles at The Wright Bar Group and at 37 Dawson Street.
In early 2015, she joined Thinkhouse and has continued working with the PR and marketing agency since, gaining experience in youth-focused campaigns and brand partnerships that mirror the audience demographics targeted by shows like Dancing with the Stars.
For broadcasters and producers, contestants with communications experience can bring a practical understanding of live production rhythms, press obligations, and the high-repeat cycle of weekly television storytelling-though Dancing with the Stars remains, first and foremost, a performance format judged by what appears on screen.
Podcasting: a family-based handover and an on-air role
Wilson’s higher-profile audience recognition has expanded through podcasting connected to Vogue Williams and her husband, Spencer Matthews.
In January 2025, Matthews said he had decided to step back from hosting their podcast, Spencer and Vogue, to work on other projects and focus on “World Record attempts.” Wilson took the co-host seat opposite her sister, effectively keeping the franchise within the family while introducing a different on-air dynamic.
On the podcast, Matthews said: “Spencer and Vogue will continue, and we will keep it in the family.”
He added: “It will have a slightly different name and I will be replaced by somebody of equal or superior charisma… a lot funnier, very happy to talk about gossip but we both love her very much,” before continuing: “She’s an absolutely epic member of our family and she’s going to do an incredible job replacing me, arguably a much better job. And with that in mind, we will now introduce your sister Amber Wilson.”
On-mic familiarity and audience recall
Wilson had previously appeared on her sister’s Never Live It Down podcast, including recounting a story about mistakenly attending the wrong person’s wake in their hometown. In her telling, she described walking toward the coffin “with the hands clasped,” then realising the mix-up only when she saw a photo beside the coffin.
“I was headed straight, with the hands clasped and everything, to the coffin to say my prayer,” she told Vogue Williams.
She continued: “Got closer to the coffin. I was like, ‘Jesus, he doesn’t look that great,’ and then I looked at the picture beside the coffin, and I thought: ‘That is not him.'”
When Matthews’ podcast departure was announced, some social media comments welcomed Wilson’s larger role, including: “Yessssssssss I was watching this thinking ‘Please say Amber please say Amber’,” and: “Ah brilliant!! Can’t wait to hear more from Amber.” That pre-existing familiarity with her voice and persona gives producers a clearer sense of how she might read with live television audiences.
Performance: Wilson and Vladimirov’s first routine
Wilson and Vladimirov’s first on-show performance included a Cha-Cha set to Katy Perry’s “Woman’s World.” The routine drew supportive comments on social media, including: “gwaaaan ladies,” and: “Amazing. So proud.” The segment also served as an early test of how Irish viewers would respond to the series’ first same-sex pairing in a competitive primetime format.
No financial terms, contractual details, or audience ratings were disclosed in the information available here regarding Wilson’s participation or the production’s commercial performance. As with other RTÉ entertainment properties, the programme’s future commissioning and format tweaks will ultimately depend on a blend of viewer data, advertiser appetite and compliance with public-service responsibilities that reach beyond pure ratings.
Pic: Instagram
Wilson is appearing on RTÉ’s Dancing with the Stars 2026 with Alex Vladimirov, and the pair have performed a Cha-Cha to “Woman’s World” by Katy Perry during the series.
