Anne Doyle: 'I'm not doing Dancing with the Stars... I can't dance for toffee apples'

She was reportedly signed up to the show which is due to air early next year, but she denied this.

"I'm not going to be doing Dancing with the Stars, I was never going to be doing Dancing with the Stars," she told the Herald.

The rumours had become so persistent that Anne, from Wexford, admitted she has had countless people already wishing her good luck and asking her how to get tickets to the show.

"Contrary to what I hear and the good wishes I have got from people and the endless requests for tickets and the pledges of votes, at this stage I think I nearly should be doing it," she said.

"I believe I was spotted at some choreography session and I said, 'I believe it must have been in the local pub'."

Anne said she is an ardent fan of Strictly Come Dancing, which has featured Irish contestants including Nicky Byrne, Jennifer Gibney and, most recently, Laura Whitmore.

However, she reckons her dance moves are not good enough to display on screen.

"I've never seen the American one, but I love Strictly. I can't dance for toffee apples, but I really enjoy looking at it, but to participate? No," she said.

The former newsreader revealed she began feeling bad about not taking part in the show when so many fans had wished her well.

"Many rumours are strange. I've encountered stranger ones. Many people have been very nice and now I'm starting to feel bad about it because they're wishing you well and saying, 'Good woman, go on', and you have to say, 'Actually, it's not true'," she said.

Anne also sent good wishes to her former RTE colleague Gay Byrne, who is feared to have prostate cancer.

The former Late Late Show host (82) revealed on his Lyric FM show that he has to undergo tests to determine if the suspected cancer has spread to his back.

"I was very sorry to hear his news and delighted to have the opportunity to wish him well," said Anne.

"Gay is Gay and I have no doubt that we will see him out and about again. He has always had great grace."

Anne said she hopes the broadcaster and his wife Kathleen Watkins stay strong and come through the scare.

"Every good wish to him and Kathleen who is a spectacularly wonderful woman. I hope and pray they will cruise through this as they have through many other difficulties of life," she said.

"One of the sorrows of getting older is you keep on having to cruise through difficulties, but hey."

Anne was speaking at the launch of charity Alone's Christmas campaign. It highlights the isolation and loneliness of older people during the festive season and urges the public to reach out to the elderly in their communities this festive season.

"Loneliness and isolation can be real problems for older people, and it's important that we are all aware of this," said Anne.