We need your help now
Support from readers like you keeps The Journal open.
You are visiting us because we have something you value. Independent, unbiased news that tells the truth. Advertising revenue goes some way to support our mission, but this year it has not been enough.
If you've seen value in our reporting, please contribute what you can, so we can continue to produce accurate and meaningful journalism. For everyone who needs it.
Sign in. It’s quick, free and it’s up to you.
An account is an optional way to support the work we do. Find out more.
By continuing, you are indicating that you accept our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy.
WITH RTE CONFIRMING that Ryan Tubridy will not be returning to the airwaves “at this time”, one of the immediate questions is who will replace him on the radio.
Before he was taken off air in June, the presenter had been at the helm of The Ryan Tubridy Show since 2015.
RTÉ director general Kevin Bakhurst said this morning that discussions on the issue of his replacement have already started. Speaking on Morning Ireland today, Bakhurst said that Oliver Callan and Brendan Courtney, who have filled in for Tubridy in his absence, “have been doing a really good job in that slot”.
Tubridy was due to return to hosting his RTÉ radio programme on 4 September, before he appeared to question the organisation’s statements on his previous earnings, according to Bakhurst.
Negotiation talks were thrown into crisis after Tubridy released a statement which appeared to question RTE’s decision to restate his earnings for 2020-2021 following a highly anticipated report into the matter.
Tubridy’s broadcasting skills and the light-entertainment nature of the show – it’s sandwiched between current affairs programmes Morning Ireland and Today With Claire Byrne – made it popular among listeners. When asked whether the format of the show would be revised, along with a new host, Bakhurst said: “It gives you an opportunity to look at these things again.”
RTÉ said in June that Tubridy was taken off the air for editorial reasons.
Callan, a comedian who occasionally filled in for Tubridy before this scandal broke, also presents the sketch show Callan’s Kicks on Radio One.
Brendan Courtney, who is presenting the show this week, previously helmed The Brendan Courtney Show on TV3. Both Callan and Courtney have assumed the easy-going tone that the show had under Tubridy, combining light stories and interviews with an informal overview of the day’s news.
Opening the show this morning, Courtney said it was “a little bit strange to be here”, and said that “we all feel a but discombobulated this morning”.
Bakhurst said he does not believe that Tubridy has “owned his mistakes” in relation to RTÉ’s under-declaration of the star presenter’s salary.
He said that RTÉ staff “were strongly divided” about whether Tubridy should return, but added that he is a “hugely talented broadcaster” and he felt it was the right thing to try to bring him back.
Other names being bounced around include Marty Morrissey, Rachel English, Anton Savage and Patrick Kielty, who was announced as Tubridy’s replacement as host of The Late Late Show earlier this year.
Morrissey is a popular RTÉ presenter, with experience in both current affairs and light entertainment – he played the Magic Mirror by way of voice recordings in a pantomime production of Snow White last year.
He previously hosted The Marty Squad, a GAA analysis show, on RTÉ Radio One.
He was, however, also wrapped up in the RTÉ payments scandal after it emerged that he had received a loaned car from Renault for five years.
Rachael English is one of the presenters of Morning Ireland. She has also written six novels.
Anton Savage is another seasoned broadcaster and journalist, with a Saturday morning show on Newstalk and a column in the Business Post (where, it’s worth pointing out, he recently discussed the issue of RTÉ presenters’ pay).
Patrick Kielty, who was announced as Tubridy’s successor on The Late Late Show earlier this year, is an RTÉ outsider but his appointment to the flagship chat show was widely welcomed. He has worked as a presenter for UTV, BBC, ABC and ITV.
His first outing as host of the Late Late will be on 15 September.
Whoever does succeed Tubridy, and RTÉ’s other high-paid presenters, could be subject to pay cuts as the broadcaster addresses a long-levelled criticism that its top stars are paid too much.
Bakhurst said that Tubridy was due to return to his radio show, and do a podcast, for a revised salary of €170,000.
When asked about possible pay cuts, he said: “People have contracts and those contracts come up for renewal. I mean, I think that is the expectation and that’s my intention that we need to look at that.
Writing in the Irish Times, Hugh Linehan observed that: “The rules of this game have changed for good and nobody is indispensable.”
Additional reporting by PA
To embed this post, copy the code below on your site
Who cares?
@Allen Coone: I kinda do
@Allen Coone: Has to be Leo Varadkar. As long as it’s someone who represents people under 40 at least, maybe younger, or we’ll end up with someone representing people who are under the sod in a few years hence.
@Allen Coone: Clearly you and the other 13.9k people who clicked into and read the article.
@Allen Coone: alot of his colleagues in RTE apparently.
Surely it’s time for a right wing radio host
@Sinead D: Philip Scofield
Hopefully nobody and rte gets shut down permanently. People being forced to pay for this is a joke. No doubt the green parties answer to people not paying is deduct it at source.
@James murphy: having public service broadcasting is essential to democracy, and the revenue these programmes bring in is required to fund these services
@James murphy: Too much time being wasted on discussing the TV licence. It should be abolished as soon as practical. We do need our own broadcasting company though. Some of its annual budget should come from advertising, some of it should come from government support. As it is now. The government support part should be a line item on the annual budget like everything else. It would then be another item that’s funded by payroll taxes, corporation taxes, sales taxes etc.
@Luma plex: It’s mad that people actually think that public service broadcasting is unnecessary. Maybe we should all get our “news” from Facebook and Telegram like many of the anti-everything brigade seem to do
@Roj Blake: RTE is the worst broadcaster in the world, don’t give me your guff about public service broadcasting.
@Ken O’Neill: What are some of these “austere government agendas” that you see being pushed on RTE?
@Irish Sceptic: Which broadcaster is the best?
@Roj Blake: when the government decide how much money they get it’s hardly going to be unbiased is it.
@Roj Blake: Exactly what “public service” does RTE provide Roj?
To keep RTE employees in the manner to which they have become accustomed?
To act as a mouthpiece for the government of the day?
I wasn’t put of this planet to pay for either.
@Jason Memail: Virgin Media News exists. Very RTE minded aren’t you?
@ItWasLikeThatWhenIGotHere: I think you’ll find RTE is not a mouth piece of the government such as its equivalent in Hungary, Poland and Turkey or dare I say it the Russian Federation
@Jason Memail: Yes, with everyone organized in their preferred echo chamber only listening to their news
@Luma plex: Ah, so you’d prefer that private companies dictate what type of news reporting people see? Lovely. Fox News here we come.
@Jason Memail: YES. And just admit you want Fair City. It’s okay.
@donal O’brien: I think you’ll find that RTE has been missing in action when it comes to actually reporting on the misdeeds of the government of the day.
Do you rememebr “the dogs in the street know what Charlie was up to”, but – like the other media of the time, not a word about it from this “public service broadcaster”.
To claim that others might be worse does not change that RTE has failed us.
Repeatedly.
@Roj Blake: who in their right minds would call RTE democratic.??? They have blatantly taken sides on all important matters in recent years. That’s not democratic.
@Roj Blake: I agree. We must have a public service broadcaster. In fairness to RTE, they produce many good entertaining programmes, The public outcry is because it’s top presenters are paid more than the President of the USA. Ray D’Arcy is paid 250k for a utter nonsensical show. He has to go next. If Mr. Bathurst can get rid of these prima Donna’s, it will go some way to restoring confidence in the national broadcaster.
@Roj Blake: as essential as it was to the nazi party to get their message across…RTE is the mouthpiece of this awful government..
Wake up
@James murphy: I laugh at people as miserable as you lol
@Irish Sceptic: You obviously never been to the US. Then you would know what the worst in the world means. Your statement makes no sense
@Irish Sceptic: the worst broadcaster in the world? Seriously? Worse than the likes of North Korea and
China? Your infantile comments make you sound about ten years old
@Roj Blake: are you any relayion to avon jenna cali and orac (for those of a certain age)
@Jon John: …and fart in his general direction
@Roj Blake: maybe so. But a public service broadcaster that spends more money on salaries and perks, like €5k flip flops, is not providing a public service. It’s an “old boys club”, sole purpose to provide a source of income for friends and family. It’s tv output it so bad & its offerings are out dated and don’t serve the majority of the population. And before you mention great Irish tv shows, most of the best Irish tv created is supported ,and mostly funded, by the BBC & other external media companies. Love hate a prime example.
RTE is a public disservice at best.
A plant. A bucket of cow dung. A pencil case. All equally as talented as the ‘talent’ Ryan
Anyone who doesn’t have Noel Kelly as an agent.
@Magnificent Mongoose: Good point
Not Daithi anyway or C Thomas
Answering machine. More talent.
Have a nationwide talent competition and get some unknown new blood in ffs. Bound to be some gems out there. And pay them something decent, but not exorbitant.
RTE stinks of a closed doors mentality.
@Louis Jacob: Embedded generational nepotism and cronyism in RTE will ensure they won’t even consider such a novel concept.
@Louis Jacob: only works if you come from a wealthy background !!
@Louis Jacob: my work involves driving around the country and I often tune into local radio stations, yes there certainly is a lot of great talent out there.
Jesus Christ what is the obsession with Marty Morrissey? Talentless.
Brendan Courtney is covering at the moment and is doing a fine job so far. He seems fairly grounded, no airs or graces. Why do we need a big name?
@Nathalie Casey: he is a great presenter and easy on the ear.
In the last few year’s before this whole RTE pay scandal came to light.
Ryan Tubridy was paid nearly 500,000 euros per year, that is more money than the Taoiseach and Tánaiste combined are paid per year or more money than the Minister for Finance and Minister for Health combined are paid.
No wonder there is so much public outrage at the way RTE chose to use public money.
Pretty much anyone would be a drastic improvement. :)
Not once has any reference being made to the fact that, although out of contract & not currently working at RTE, Tubs is still getting paid. Make that make sense!!
The only ones who care are the legacy media.. they and RTE have been feeding off one another for so long now that they’re indistinguishable .
A lot of the RTE presenters work as sub-contractors. As such RTE should be putting programme slots out to tender similar to any other publicly funded organisation.
Funny that I spend some time on Public Tender sites but I have never seen a call for tender for the likes of Liveline or indeed any other slots.
The presenter who is covering Tubirty at the moment is mind numbing…Sweet Jesus where do they get them from. Tubirty was the same..Getting stories from the newspapers and the interview was usually someone selling a book. As for Ray D’Arcy.. Mother of Jesus.
Not Thomas!
Dustin the Turkey ” Go on ya good thing ” only downside is he needs an extended holiday at Christmas time
Marty whelan share an hour from his lyric fm show, save money no brainer.
Hopefully no one and fill it with music
@Tim Brennan: Why are you listening? Tune into RTE Gold. Or any other channel from anywhere on the planet through internet radio. Just switch it off if you don’t like it for crying out loud.
Mick Wallace and Clare Daly.
We want Oliver !
My vote is for Lottie Ryan and Vogue. No better cure for constipation in the morning!!
If they want a sub-contractor, tender for the position. If they want the person to be an RTE staff member, advertise the position.
If they don’t bring back Ryan Tubridy, they had better not give it to Marty Morrissey for God’s sake. He’s wandering around RTE and every GAA pitch in the country like butter wouldn’t melt. Marty who “forgot” to give back the car. Bring in someone new. Someone with no baggage. Someone who can talk and also likes to read. Someone who will chat about what’s in the news and who will give decent book reviews, and play light music, Someone like Ryan Tubridy – what a great idea, let’s bring him back and get rid of old bull Backhurst.
Bosco and Socky!!!
Jedward
Jon Jon. Legend!
@Fishfingers Fortea: Nah… Dont feed the troll
@Fishfingers Fortea: jon jon would suit allright .He would certainly have enough neck and I think thats the main qualification.
Typical irish reaction. Want the services but wont pay for them, same for water charges. Licence goes to more than RTE
@Peter Byrne: I think you’ll find not many Irish people want the service offered by rte. As for water, we pay through tax for it.
@Peter Byrne: On top of the licence fee you failed mention the €50 million of taxpayers money given to RTE in 2019 .This money was to be drawn down at £10 Million a year until 2024. As for the water charges I haven’t seen so many guards together in one place until they protected the property of the banks during the week.
@Mike Carson: have you conducted a survey or do you presume to speak for the majority?
White noise.
Leo, he hasn’t Don this one yet lol
I’ll do it for ½ of what rubbery was paid. No talking tho. I do a mean techno set. Talk is over rated way.
Andy Ruane.
@Pól Pot: Jayzus. What a horrible thought. Lol!
Used toilet seat /paper
F it I’ll do it, can’t be that hard.
Just waiting for the next scandal to come out.
Don’t know, don’t care,don’t listen
Keep rte for news to video sport and arts and that’s it all the dramas and shows are a waste as nobody or not enough people watch them
I feel for the ordinary people working in rte but the trust has been so badly damaged to ordinary people I say rte will become a shadow of what it was i never watch rte, occasionally I might listen to the radio station but that’s it,the rte news now channel and sport id say a lot of people would like to keep with it being funded solely by advertising and scrap the rest what’s done is done
Roy chubby brown for light entertainment
Slab Murphy.
@tony mc g: with Gerry adams filling in over the summer?
An inanimate carbon rod
Pockets have been filled porkies have been told an inquiry was had, in the end the truth found a rug. We are none the wiser but so much the poorer in facts and taxpayer’s hard earned monies. What a farce.
Pat Kenny ;)
‘Ted’ from the den.
Not a fan
Couldn’t give a duck, don’t listen to it
Does anyone really care who replaces him ???.
A plank would do just fine
A wooden stool, or a clothes hanger.
Either one would be equal in terms of talent and wit.
Yawn, yawn, yawn. Why is this talented journalist wasting her time on this talentless nobody who is rightly experiencing the anonymity he so richly deserves, unless that is if the gardai should come knocking on his door.
We don’t need him.
Why is this all over the news so much for so long. Someone else will present a radio show on RTE. What does it matter?
This is not news
The Podge & Rodge puppets (without puppeteers) would do a better job.
If it were Lao Tzu, I still wouldn’t listen and tubs should set up an alternative station. Then call it, Ryan’s Tubs Eire 2.
Somebody well connected.
Bosco would be a perfect replacement.
RTE could do worse then to give the show to Barry Linehan. I really like his intelligence. And he’s a lovely man to boot.
Why not both, a week on, a week off?
Bring on the two Healy Rae’s. They’ll liven things up.
I always liked Ryan Tubridy on the radio, regardless of what he did recently when it comes to his payments. I like Oliver Callan too and Brendan Courtney does a good job. Sarah McInerney would be brilliant on it too. No offence to Marry Morrissey but I will switch off if he’s brought on.
have your say