Despite its audience reach, the show attracted some negative reviews. In one, Liam Fay of
The Sunday Times wrote, "A three-ring ballet of farce, ''Celebrity Jigs'n'Reels
is a thoroughly ill-conceived effort at creating an Irish version of the celebrity dance tournaments that are so successful on British TV." However, The Irish News''s Bill Foley called the show "a cracker", saying, "It could only be watched in 10-minute bursts, but had wonderful powers of cheering up a quite evening." The Sunday Times review of the New Year's special was negative, with Liam Fay writing, "In conception and execution, ''Celebrity Jigs'n'Reels'' is a shambles, a doomed attempt to marry the convivial free-for-all of the ceilidh with the stuffy conventions of the ballroom dancing contest." == References ==