Pictured at the RTÉ New Season Launch 2018 (Back from left) Kathryn Thomas, Ryan Tubridy, Ray D’Arcy, Rodrigo Ternevoy and Jenny Dixon, Brendan Courtney, Tommy Tiernan, Marty Morrissey, (Front from left) Anna Geary, Laura Whitmore, Amy Huberman, Doireann Garrahy, Dr. Eva Orsmond and Brendan O’Connor. Picture: Andres Poveda

TV presenter Marty Morrissey has described being stopped on the street by fans as “a privilege”, but insists his long-term girlfriend prefers to shy away from the limelight.

Following on from their newfound bromance on this year’s Dancing with the Stars, Marty and Bridget and Eamon star Bernard O’Shea will team up for a new road trip tv show and Bernard described his on-screen partner's widespread fame as "an unusual experience".

“If I go to Lidl or Aldi or Supervalu, someone might come up to me and go, ‘oh how are you’. Whereas when we were on our adventures, to get to an entrance of the café to our table it took Marty about two hours,” Bernard told Independent.ie at RTÉ’s new season launch.

“You know someone is extremely unknown when Marty is introducing you as 'my friend Bernard’. It was an unusual experience.”

But a humble Marty insisted he appreciates the kindness shown to him by members of the public.

“I consider it a privilege and an honour. The fact that they seem to like what I do, people are so kind - from six or seven years old to whatever age,” Marty told Independent.ie.

“Thankfully I get a very positive reaction, I do appreciate it.”

Marty says his long-term partner Liz Kidney, who have been together for over 20 years, prefers to stay out of the limelight.

“She’s on the very opposite side of (the limelight). She prefers to say, ‘go out there and do your thing, that’s fine’.

“But it’s funny, we had great fun going on one of our trips and with the reaction, it did take us a while to get around Ireland.”

Expand Close Liz Kidney, Marty Morrissey in 2010 Pictures: VIPIRELAND.COM / Facebook

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The attention doesn’t stop in the supermarket however, as Marty has become a coveted dance partner following his appearance on this year's Dancing with the Stars- with women joining a “queue” to dance with him.

“There was a queue of women at one particular event. I was very kindly given a country music award- do not ask me why I got a country music award, but it was in Cavan. I got my award very kindly, and then I went out and they asked me would I got to the bar,” he said.

“One of the organisers said ‘would you have one jive’. So I had one jive, and next there’s another lady waiting to dance with me.

“By the time I finished it was about 25 jives, but friends of mine were there and they really got a great kick out of things. It’s a bit of fun.”

Marty and Bernard’s Road Trip will see the pair travel around the country, discovering everything from “extreme male grooming to surviving in the wilderness Bear Grylls style”.

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