Jordan Dargan Eliminated from Dancing With the Stars | DWTS Semi-Finals 2024
The semi-final round of ‘s Dancing with the Stars delivered a bittersweet ending for entrepreneur Jordan Dargan, who, alongside professional partner Rebecca Scott, was eliminated after a dance-off with Tolü Makay and Maciej Zięba. The Dublin-based founder of 3D animation company Rendify Studios, and a familiar face to UK audiences from his appearance on The Apprentice, expressed disappointment but similarly gratitude for the experience.
Dargan, who was the first Irish-Nigerian contestant on the British version of The Apprentice, received a combined score of 77 for his two semi-final performances – a vibrant 1990s Cha Cha Cha that earned a score of 38, and an earlier American Smooth. Despite the strong scores, he and Scott found themselves in the bottom two, ultimately losing out to Makay and Zięba in the judges’ decision.
“I’m not going to stand here and pretend we’re not gutted,” Dargan said following the announcement. “You know, we were so close, and I wanted it so, so bad. I’ve had the time of my life.” The sentiment underscored the emotional investment both dancers had made in the competition, a sentiment echoed by Makay herself, who was reportedly in tears after securing her place in the final.
The elimination marks the end of Dargan’s ten-week journey on the show, a period he described as one of significant personal growth. “I grew a lot over the past ten weeks and I wasn’t going to say, ‘oh, I’m delighted I got this far’ . . . I am genuinely gutted,” he stated. He emphasized the dedication he poured into the competition, acknowledging the late nights and rigorous practice. “I gave everything, staying up late, practising . . . I suppose when you put your all into it, you’re going to experience your emotions a little bit more when it doesn’t go your way. I left everything I had out there.”
Despite his disappointment, Dargan was quick to offer his congratulations to the remaining finalists – Eric Roberts and Arianna Favaro, Katelyn Cummins and Leonardo Lini, Paudie Moloney and Laura Nolan, and Tolü Makay and Maciej Zięba. He spoke of a strong camaraderie amongst the contestants, emphasizing the “healthy rivalry” and genuine support within the group. “Whoever makes it to that final, whoever beats me, whoever wins, I’ll be genuinely delighted for them because we’ve created such strong bonds in the group.”
Dargan also credited his professional partner, Rebecca Scott, with helping him to embrace vulnerability and authenticity throughout the competition. “Rebecca made sure of that – she said ‘go out there and if it’s not perfect, cool’,” he recalled. This guidance allowed him to present a more genuine version of himself, a contrast to the more guarded persona he adopted during his run on The Apprentice UK.
The experience on Dancing with the Stars, he believes, may also have positive implications for his business career. Dargan noted that “people invest in people,” and that the show provided an opportunity to showcase a more relatable and vulnerable side of himself – a side he had previously shielded from public view. “This show was a chance – in comparison to The Apprentice – to show the real me – the stripped down, vulnerable version that second guesses himself, who doesn’t always know what he’s doing,” he explained. “That’s a side of me that I was shielding on The Apprentice and in life but you can’t do that on a show like Dancing With the Stars . . . You can’t hide.”
Looking ahead, Dargan remains open to future television opportunities, playfully suggesting he’s willing to consider whatever comes his way. “As these opportunities have come along, I’ve taken them as they come. If you asked me 365 days ago if I’d be on Dancing With the Stars and make it to the semi-final, I would have said absolutely not,” he said.
The final of Dancing with the Stars will air on on RTÉ One and the RTÉ Player at 6:30pm, where the remaining four couples will compete for the coveted glitterball trophy.