Johnny Ward has praised his girlfriend and former Dancing with the Stars partner Emily Barker for helping him through his grief after his dad’s death.
The new couple opened up about their blossoming relationship in their first interview together.
Fair City star Johnny explained their relationship came about and started out as “a really good friendship” but developed during the DWTS tour in 2019.
He added: “I was like, you only live once, just tell her how you feel and thankfully, my goodness me thankfully, Emily somehow - I have no idea how - felt the same.”
Johnny also said the pair became closer when his dad passed away toward the end of the series, explaining that their dance sessions helped him through his grief.
He added: “The two of us were put in a very difficult situation, making a dying man a promise. My father took [the competition] more serious than I think even me and Emily did combined. We made a promise to get to the final.
“Emily was great and I suppose I lashed out so much with Emily but the dancing sessions became quite therapeutic.
“She really looked after me and gave me a shoulder to cry on, and you don’t forget those things”, he told Keith Walsh on 2FM.
The former Love/Hate actor said he felt guilty for leaving his two sisters to help his mother through the difficult period while he and Emily focused on the competition.
Johnny and Emily recently confirmed their relationship after sparking romance rumours last year - when they were spotted on the red carpet together after Johnny split with his girlfriend of six years, Rachel Tracey.
The 31 year-old said their romance didn’t blossom backstage - with the pair admitting they didn’t even fancy each other at first.
And Johnny revealed the pair did not realise the depth of their feelings until the show finished.
He added: “You’re spending all this time with one person from November to March... and then they go and you feel lost,” he said.
Dubliner Johnny and Nottingham native Emily were runners up in DWTS last year, losing out to RTÉ presenter Mairead Ronan and pro dancer John Nolan.
Johnny has been in the audience to support his girlfriend this season as she dances with her new partner, Kilkenny hurley Aidan Fogarty.
However, on Saturday night’s switch up show, Emily and Lottie Ryan will become the first couple to dance with a same-sex female partner when they take to the dance floor.
Johnny said he wasn’t missing the show and it had been hard to watch it this season.
He added: “No, I thought it would be, from speaking to previous dancers and stuff like that, and especially Jay [Duffy] because he’s there every week with Karen and he was like it’s difficult..It is very difficult to watch at first but I enjoyed it.
“You get nervous when you hear ‘Dancing the foxtrot...’ and you hear somebody else’s name with Emily Barker but there’s no jealousy or anything like that.
“Straight away you just want them to do well.
Johnny aso gave his verdict on who he expects to be win the hit show and added: “I think he’s [Brian Dowling] is going to win, sorry Emily I do.”
