'Ecstatic, unbelievably proud' - Dancing With The Stars NZ celebs react to $420k raised

The celebrities from Dancing With The Stars NZ are taking to social media to respond to news their efforts on the dance floor raised over $420,000 for charity.

Each contestant selected a charity to represent on the show, in the hopes of raising as much money as possible for their cause through paid audience voting.

Earlier today, MediaWorks announced that the total amount raised was $424,365.90.

"I think this is potentially the proudest moment of my life!" social media influencer Jess Quinn wrote on Instagram.

"We put ourselves to the challenge every week and thanks to all of your votes we raised a serious amount of money for people in need".

'Ecstatic, unbelievably proud' - Dancing With The Stars NZ celebs react to $420k raised
Photo credit: Instagram/Jess Quinn

A cancer survivor herself, Quinn lost one of her legs to the disease when she was just nine. She also posted a photo from her childhood, elaborating on her motivation for getting involved. 

"I did the show for the Child Cancer Foundation with the hope of raising as much money as I could for little kids and families battling this horrible disease," she said.

"To have achieved this blows my mind."

'Ecstatic, unbelievably proud' - Dancing With The Stars NZ celebs react to $420k raised
Photo credit: Instagram/Jess Quinn

Fellow top four contestant Shavaughn Ruakere said the result "makes those nerve-wracking moments standing up there all feel worth it".

"So proud of my dance whānau," she added.

Ruakerere chose to support The Breast Cancer Foundation in tribute to her late friend, TV personality Helena McAlpine, who died in 2015 after a long battle with the illness.

'Ecstatic, unbelievably proud' - Dancing With The Stars NZ celebs react to $420k raised
Photo credit: Instagram/Shavaughn Ruakere

Newshub Live at 6 presenter Samantha Hayes chose to raise funds for Riding For The Disabled. This year's DWTS champion said she was "stunned, ecstatic and unbelievably proud of everyone involved".

"The 2018 total is five times the amount raised last season and that is because you voted," she told her Instagram followers.

"Thank you from the bottom of my heart for your support."

Meanwhile, ACT Party leader David Seymour released a press statement in which he demanded a breakdown of the amounts raised for each charity.

"Perhaps I'm just a bit competitive, but who wouldn't want to know who raised the most?" he said.

"It's taken nearly three months to get this basic figure out.

"So many people have said 'I voted for you, how much did you raise for Kidsline?' It would be nice to have an answer for them."

In response, a spokesperson for MediaWorks stated: "It is a decision for the charities and the celebrities whether they wish to reveal the individual amounts raised." 

Kidsline has since announced Seymour generated "over $50,000" for the organisation. 

MediaWorks, which owns Newshub, said it was "thrilled" with the total amount raised across the 12 charities.

Newshub.