Karen Byrne facts for kids

Karen Byrne (born May 30, 1992) is a talented Irish dancer and choreographer. She is well-known for being a judge and a professional dancer on the Irish TV show Dancing with the Stars.

About Karen Byrne

Karen Byrne was born in Ballyfermot, a part of Dublin, Ireland. She started dancing when she was just six years old. This early start helped her become the amazing dancer she is today.

Dancing with the Stars Journey

Karen Byrne joined Dancing with the Stars as a professional dancer in 2017 for its very first season. She has been a big part of the show ever since, partnering with many different celebrities.

First Season: Dancing with Des Cahill

In 2017, Karen's first partner was RTÉ broadcaster, Des Cahill. Even though they often had lower scores from the judges, they were very popular with viewers. They made it all the way to the quarterfinals, finishing in 5th place.

Winning with Jake Carter

The next year, in 2018, Karen teamed up with singer-songwriter, Jake Carter. They worked incredibly hard and impressed everyone. On March 25, 2018, Karen and Jake were announced as the winners of the competition! This was a huge achievement for Karen.

Later Seasons and Partnerships

Karen continued to dance on the show in the following years:

• In 2019, she partnered with TV presenter Darren Kennedy. They were eliminated in the fifth week, finishing in ninth place.
• In 2020, her partner was Olympic gold medal-winning boxer, Michael Carruth. They also left the competition in the fifth week, placing ninth.
• In 2022, Karen danced with former professional cyclist, Nicolas Roche. They reached the quarterfinals but were eliminated after a dance-off.
• In 2023, she partnered with former rugby player, Shane Byrne. They were eliminated in the eighth week.
• In 2024, Karen partnered with former Paralympic sprint runner, Jason Smyth. Amazingly, on March 17, 2024, Jason and Karen won the competition, even though they sometimes had lower scores in earlier weeks! This showed how much the audience loved them.

Here is a summary of Karen's journey on Dancing with the Stars:

Karen's Personal Life

Karen Byrne was in a relationship with fellow professional dancer, Wojtek Potaszkin, for eight years. After her time on Series 2, Karen started dating her dance partner from that season, Jake Carter. The couple announced their engagement on March 9, 2025.