KEY POINTS:
Nearly 900,000 people tuned in for the finale of Dancing with the Stars, out-doing the previous season but falling short of the original.
About 876,000 people were dazzled on Tuesday night as Suzanne Paul took the title after going toe-to-toe with singer and NZ Idol judge Megan Alatini.
The number of viewers was 10,000 more than season two, but short of the 979,600 viewers that saw former All Black Norm Hewitt win the 2005 series. And though the dust has settled on another successful season, its stars are still reaping the benefits of the spotlight.
Its host, Jason Gunn, is set to host a quiz show called the Rich List, which is scheduled to start in the same time slot as DWTS in a fortnight.
Last year's winning dancer, Aaron Gilmore, who was partnered with former beauty queen Lorraine Downes, now runs a successful dance school in Christchurch.
Dancer Hayley Holt, whose career kick-started after DWTS, went on to appear in and win Treasure Island, The Pirates of the Pacific.
Paul is understood to be in talks with Television New Zealand about her own show, and is set to re-enter the beauty products world.
Paul has hosted several television series before, including Guess Who's Coming to Dinner?
Her renewed fame would be welcomed by a group of creditors waiting to be paid for a failed business venture. Paul has said during the series that she hoped to repay thousands owing on a Northcote Point Maori village cabaret, which flopped in 2004. Paul declined an interview yesterday.
The show's publicist, Corey Cooper, could not comment on the fee that the dancers, judges and celebrities received for each appearance because it was commercially sensitive.
He said the series had been gruelling, and celebrities had to overcome a number of injuries.
Paul cracked a rib during week two of the competition, and had to overcome pain in the final after aggravating it again.
"Michael Laws breaking his toe was the biggest obstacle," Mr Cooper said. "It was serious break, and he was advised not to dance on it for at least three weeks, but he soldiered through.
"Suzanne is so thrilled to have won. She hopefully proved to a lot of women in her age group to get out there and get amongst it.
"Age doesn't really stop you from doing anything."
It has not been decided whether there will be a fourth series, he said.
"Nothing has been put in place, but if it's still rating its socks off, I guess it would be brilliant to have season four."
Mr Cooper said the amount of money raised for charities would not be known for three months, "but last year they raised about $333,000".
