PRESENTER JOE DUFFY has announced his retirement from RTÉ Radio One, after 37 years at the broadcaster and 27 years at the helm of Liveline. 

The Ballyfermot man is to appear on the Late Late Show tomorrow night following the announcement. 

Duffy will also be presenting Liveline as normal tomorrow, and won’t be permanently leaving until the end of June.

In a statement released today he said: “It has been – and I mean this from the bottom of my heart – an incredible honour and privilege to be part of a programme that relied entirely on trust: the trust of our listeners. People felt they could pick up the phone, ring Liveline, and share their lives.”

He thanked the “hundreds” of producers and researchers he has worked alongside at the broadcaster, as well as his wife June and his three children. 

“I wrote to the head of Radio last November, informing her that having already extended my contract for two years, that Friday June 27 next when it was due to expire would be my final day on Liveline”. 

Duffy further said that Liveline began under the leadership of Marian Finucane, and that the show “will endure”. 

Kevin Bakhurst, the Director General of RTÉ said under Duffy, Liveline became “a sanctuary for those seeking justice, and a public square of which Joe was in full control”. 

“Whether breaking stories like in the first powerful moments of the 9-11 attacks in the US, or helping the nation navigate the often heartbreaking challenges of a global pandemic, Joe Duffy’s Liveline doesn’t just have its fingers on the pulse, it is the pulse of the nation,” Bakhurst added.

He further said that Duffy is an “icon of broadcasting” who will be “hugely missed” by listeners. 

Patricia Monahan, RTÉ’s Director of Audio, said that Duffy’s contribution to RTÉ and Liveline “cannot be overstated”. 

“Our airwaves will be lesser without him, but we thank him for being part of our daily lives for so long and wish him and his family well for his next chapter”. 

RTE further said that it looks forward to Joe Duffy’s contribution to its 100th commemoration in 2026.