• croatiantimes.com
• romaniantimes.at
• salzburgtimes.at
• viennatimes.at
• austrianindependent.com

Today

• Vienna - VESCC English Catholic Mass
• Vienna - Unknown Underground
• Vienna - Cats
• Vienna - Andy Warhol
• Vienna - Laser Tag

© ORF

12. 01. 11. - 16:00

• more Panorama news
• RSS Feed Panorama

12. 01. 11. - 16:00

Austrian version of 'Strictly Come Dancing' to have male couple

An Austrian entertainer tagged as having been Sacha Baron Cohen’s inspiration to create gay fashion journalist Brüno will compete in this year’s "Dancing Stars" show – with a man as his partner.

Openly homosexual Alfons Haider revealed today (Weds) that he will team up with Hungarian professional dancer Balazs Ekker for the sixth edition of the Austrian version of "Strictly Come Dancing" which will hit the screens in March.

Haider, who previously joked about taking part with a male partner, stressed: "For me, it won’t be about the gay issue. It should be all about the fun – I’m not the gay Joan of Arc! I’m looking forward to dance with Balazs."

Haider, who previously hosted the popular ORF show, has presented various TV events for many years.

The singer and author had his 15 minutes of fame in England in 2009 when British media claimed it was Haider’s life that inspired Cohen in dreaming up fictional movie character Brüno. Haider half-jokingly told newspapers at that time that "this is true and now exposed".

Haider and Ekker will be the first male couple competing in a version of the TV format which had fans glued to the screens in more than 30 countries all over the world.

Haider was targeted by conservative media and anti-gay activists after his coming out 14 years ago. His autobiography "Geliebt. Verteufelt." (Beloved and Demonised) was released in 2007.

Other celebrities set to participate in the upcoming series of the hit show are retired skier Alexandra Meissnitzer, actor Mike Galeli and musical star Uwe Kröger.

"Dancing Stars" is one of the most successful productions of national television company ORF of the past few years. It was first broadcast in 2005.

Austrian Times

Related articles: star news

1. Man Utd chase Austrian ace

   » Sports 2012-05-23

   Manchester United have signalised interest in David Alaba.

2. Best of the bookshelf in May

   » Panorama 2012-05-22

   The Austrian Times has once again searched the book publishing market of German-speaking Europe to list some of the most interesting releases of the past weeks and months.

3. Supancic sets sails

   » Panorama 2012-05-18

   Mike Supancic is touring Austria.

more related articles tagged "star news"

Related articles: quirky Austria

1. Anti-truancy official for Vienna

   » General News 2012-03-23

   Horst Tschaikner has been named head of Vienna’s new anti-truancy office.

2. Dog days for clumsy Arnautovic

   » Sports 2012-03-09

   Werder Bremen star Marko Arnautovic will be sidelined for more than a month after injuring his knee while playing with his dog.

3. Unanimous praise for State Opera Ball

   » Panorama 2012-02-17

   Political leaders and showbiz stars had only kind words about last night’s (Thurs) Opera Ball.

more related articles tagged "quirky Austria"

Related articles: Brüno mania

1. Austrian version of 'Strictly Come Dancing' to have male couple

   » Panorama 2011-01-12

   An Austrian entertainer tagged as having been Sacha Baron Cohen’s inspiration to create gay fashion journalist Brüno will compete in this year’s "Dancing Stars" show – with a man as his partner.

2. Majority unafraid of bad ´Brüno´ effect, poll shows

   » Panorama 2009-07-30

   The majority of Austrian Times readers think that Austrians do not need to worry about the new "Brüno" movie having a negative effect on the country’s image – because it has already been badly damaged.

3. ´Brüno´ lures Brits to Vienna

   » Business 2009-07-22

   Britons are flooding to Vienna because of Sacha Baron Cohen’s hit comedy "Brüno", tourism bosses in Vienna have said.

more related articles tagged "Brüno mania"

Turks flattened by lone asylum seeker
A furious Nigerian went on the rampage at a refuge for asylum seekers in Leibnitz, attacking several people and damaging property.

Woman bites toddler
A woman who bit a two-year-old tot during a road rage row with her mother is being quizzed by police in Wiener Neustadt, Austria.

New Dany Boon comedy to be filmed in Austria
The French film star Dany Boon, one of the highest paid actors in Europe after his hit film "Welcome to the Sticks", is filming in Salzburg.

China meets Hallstatt
After a long time of speculation and anticipation the exact copy of Austrian world heritage village of Hallstatt-Dachstein in China will be unveiled, and there will be real-life Austrians present for the ceremony.

Skier in court after accident
A man from Graz is in court today accused of having inflicted negligent injury upon a five-year-old when skiing in Carinthia last year.

Two fires in Ottakring claim one life
Two fires started on Thursday evening in the Vienna district of Ottakring, one of which claimed a man’s life. Several people were evacuated as a result of the two blazes.

Cows zapped to death by lightning
Four cows were zapped to death after a lightning strike hit the barbed wire fence they were leaning on in Reith im Alpbachtal, Austria.

Wolf babies born in Schönbrunn
These cuddly Artic wolf cubs have got every right to look a bit frosty - after they emerged into the world for the first time in the middle of a 27 degree heatwave.

Cleaned Out
A Hungarian cleaning woman who stole tens of thousands of pounds worth of antique jewellery from an Austrian Countess and then sold it for "pocket money" unaware of its real value has been jailed by a court in Austria.

Great expectations for summer tourism season in Vorarlberg
The Vorarlberg tourism industry is currently riding high after a record breaking winter season, and the summer season is expected to follow that same trend.

Jobs in Austria