Jennifer Zamparelli has zero regrets over leaving her 2FM radio show and she's in a really good place in her life.
She added that her shock exit was amicable and she left on positive terms.
The Dancing With The Stars presenter has been enjoying her time off by making the most of her time at home with her husband Lau and their kids, Florence and Enzo.
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Jennifer told RSVP Magazine: "I’ve been having a blast. I was on this kind of treadmill for a long time. It got to the 10-year mark and I said I could easily do another 10 years, but that wasn’t going to leave space for any other opportunities, family time and my marriage.
"I also want my husband Lau to spread his wings with work. It was a choice and it was actually a very easy decision to make in the end. I have zero regrets and I’m in a really good place.
"Having time and space creatively is a great thing. If I didn’t do it then, when was I going to do it? I’m not one of those people who does the same thing over and over because it’s comfortable.
"I like to be a bit uncomfortable and wonder what’s going to happen next. I’m very fortunate that I can do that. It’s been brilliant, really."
Jen stressed that she left 2FM on positive terms.
She said: "The fact they invited me back to do my ‘exit chat’ on my former show with Laura Fox was great. Not many people get to do that.
"They tend to argue over money and then they’re gone. I still see all of the 2FM gang and I’ve a lot of respect for Dan Healy [head of 2FM].
"There aren’t many places you can walk back in to and still be friendly with people and shake their hands."
For Jen, there was no worry that she wouldn’t be asked back to Dancing With The Stars following her 2FM exit.
She said: "I was always going to come back and there are other things I hope to do in telly land. Dancing With The Stars is very different from radio.
"Did I worry about not coming back? No. I worried about the show not coming back, the whole thing. It’s an expensive show to run and there are a lot of moving pieces and hundreds of people working on it.
"To make it look the way it looks on a fourth of the budget Strictly Come Dancing has is incredible. It’s always great to have another go at it.
Jen is back for her sixth season as the host of Dancing With The Stars.
The RTÉ said: "My sixth? I should be out of there, I usually only tend to stick to things for five years and then I feck off [jokes]. That’s wild!
"It’s always really exciting to be back and that feeling never wavers or diminishes. You never know if you’re coming back, so there’s a little bit of relief when you get the call."
Jen believe there’s a mixed line-up this year and it’s very different.
She said: "I never thought I’d see Elaine Crowley on the dancefloor. She’s going to be amazing and a lot of fun.
"I went to Disneyland before Christmas and Lau made a very good point. He said that Irish people have ruined the word ‘Mickey’, and now we’ve a Mickey on the show with Mickey Joe Harte.
"He will be very entertaining and great craic. The cast is having great fun this year."
She and Doireann teased the line-up on social media before it was revealed. She said you had a falling out with one of the stars, who was it? "I’m not telling you that, not a bleeding chance! We gave our honest reactions.
"I can’t be giving that away, but I will say that things have been amended and that’s all good. I’ve reached out to them to make sure we’re all good.
"You can’t have stuff like that going on on a show like Dancing With The Stars. It would be too stressful."
There has been a big change this year following the addition of Karen Byrne to the judging panel.
Jen said: "There are always tweaks being made to keep it fresh. We had Doireann join the show two years ago and now we have Karen Byrne as a judge.
"I’ve been waiting for that to happen for years. It’s her time.
"She’s one of the originals from season one and she’s won it twice. She also has a lot to say."
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Jen has some predictions as to who could lift the glitterball trophy this year.
She said: "I think Elaine will be the dark horse.
"It would be nice to see one of the Olympians winning because they can do phenomenal things with their bodies.
"I’m very excited for Gearóid Farrelly because I think we’ll get to see a different side to him. I can never call who wins."
Read the full interview and see our Dancing With The Stars special in this month's issue of RSVP Magazine
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