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MIRIAM O’CALLAGHAN HAS claimed she hasn’t even thought about the possibility she might replace Pat Kenny on RTÉ Radio and will not be drawn on whether or not she is interested in the slot.
Speaking at RTÉ’s autumn schedule launch in Donnybrook today, the Prime Time presenter and current host of the John Murray Show on Radio One said she was still getting over the shock of Kenny’s departure to Newstalk last week.
“I haven’t actually thought about it,” she said. “I know it’s weird, I was so shocked at Pat leaving, you know, some people think things are known, but like that was like an exocet missile.”
O’Callaghan claimed it is unlikely that she will be offered the slot even though she has been tipped as one of the favourites to replace Kenny on the radio in September.
“Pat’s just gone, it’s a huge shock, he was here for 41 years. I felt really privileged to work with him on Prime Time, I learnt so much from him. I felt he was a really solid presence,” she said.
O’Callaghan said that Kenny’s departure has left a “big, big hole” that needed to be filled but acknowledged her passion for current affairs broadcasting, saying “it’s in my DNA”.
However, she added: “It’s not easy, it is not for the faint-hearted. If you’re doing tough interviews – whether it’s Martin McGuinness or Enda Kenny – it is not for the fainthearted and it’s a difficult enough medium to do actually.”
RTÉ has confirmed that O’Callaghan will return along with Claire Byrne on Prime Time last this year with a third presenter – to replace Pat Kenny – to be announced in due course.
Byrne is due to go on maternity leave in the autumn with Prime Time reporters Robert Shortt and Katie Hannon continuing to fill in as presenters in addition to O’Callaghan.
Meanwhile, RTÉ Television’s managing director Glen Killane told The Last Word on Today FM this evening that there are no plans to feature Pat Kenny in the broadcaster’s autumn schedule and insisted the departure is an opportunity for new talent.
“Part of being a public service broadcaster is about bringing through new talent and I think its an opportunity for some new talent to flourish,” Killane told Matt Cooper.
“Pat is an absolutely outstanding broadcaster, there’s no question about it, but this is the way of the world, this is market dynamics operating, and its good to see new fresh blood coming through as well.”
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Sure you haven’t Miriam!!!
Our television license encourages inbreeding ……….
FFS.
Typical RTE,no imagination,trotting out the same old show ponies.
Imagination needed but in short supply? Why not change the format and scheduling of morning radio altogether? Do we have to have the Pat Kenny Show Mark 2?
How did i know she’d fit ‘actually’ into the answer. She seems nice, but i find her hard to listen to.
“Part of being a public service broadcaster is about bringing through new talent and I think its an opportunity for some new talent to flourish,” Killane told Matt Cooper…….so we are thinking of Miriam to replace Pat , Hector to replace Miriam , Craig Doyle to come back and fill prime time , Marty whelan for anything resembling a game show and farming out any independent productions for Gay Byrne to talk about God….see we are such a breeding ground for new talent we actually amaze ourselves and if we say it often enough people might acutally start to believe us……
You have to feel sorry for Marty Whelan though. Crucified at every turn. I expect to see him soon, in a loincloth, pinned to one of those spinning wheels that are always a feature of anything he is involved with. And some lucky audience member brought on stage, handed a pack of knives and invited to throw the first one at the wheel NOW!
What about Dave Harvey ex 4fm?
RTE are running on empty when it comes to real creative talent. If she’s not all over the Sunday Indo Miriam is on every half hour on RTE. Time for a real cull and new blood to be brought in.
Right on T!
I love Jackson Browns live version of running on empty, he had some skills that man
That woman’s accent gives me ire. What the hell is a quaastion? Elocution lessons are within your budget goddamit!
‘What the hell is a quaastion’. Ask Rachaal Aaanglaash
Thank God I’m not alone when it comes to Miriam.
I would beat Usain Bolt in a dash to turn the radio off if she is on.
Ire,headache, heart burn and the trots all rolled into one.
Oh no! Please, we’ve had enough of her drone on the radio and tv. Jazuz! She’s on night time tv, she’s on weekend tv, she’s on the radio, for feck sake she’s even in adds on both.
Enough !!!!!!!
Well I for one wont be watching RTE’s Queen Bee – she gives me the creeps…
” I haven’t actually thought about it” no, ” I’ve just dreamt about it, longed for it, craved for it, I will walk over everybody and everything to get it, IT’S MINE !” Look at me I’m in great shape dont you think ? Taal me now go on taal me I look great and you have the hawts for meeee !
Genuinely??!
“And how does that make you feel?”
I presume it will be an exhaustive search of the RTE canteen for Pat’s replacement
And the queue for the job will be interviewed by Paddy ‘when did you first start using’ O’Gorman
Brilliant Alan
Their subsidised canteen.
Spoooof! Ridiculous amount of inbreeding in Rte! Would love if they were to really change things up!
Talentless bint says job hard. WOW WEE!
“I haven’t actually thought about it” were Miriam’s last words before her tongue stabbed through her cheek.
Get somebody new ffs, Ohhh I almost forgot you need to be a family member to work in Really Terrible Entertainment.
Hasn’t thought about it. Wow. Now that’s news. Great journalism.
Miriam on morning radio amounts to aural torture! In terms of PT and her interviewing; about as incisive as a hammer hitting an egg!
Ahh lord bless us and save us miriam!
Genuinely
Surely it’s past time to give some of the numerous and talented young media graduates a shot in RTE? All these faces have had a good running so far.
Myles and Phlip are way ahead and easy to listen to
And Gavin Jennings
Btw…anyone know what the deal is with John Murray??
Holy sh….it Vincent have you been getting some of those free Viagra from Argentina to say you admire Miriam?
Noel curran is miriam’s fella? Interesting…
Miriam would walk it as a replacement for Kenny. Pat was grossly overrated although he good on radio. He never managed to crack television. Go Miriam !!!
Rte should poach some British talent
Tramp. Dirty, Dirty Tramp!
Oh no! Bye bye RTE
I sincerely hope Marty Whelan gets moved sideways so that I can listen to Lyric fm again in the mornings!
Please rte don’t plague the airways with more noise from this woman!
Has she not enough airtime already?
There must be some bright young thing in Ireland that is capable, willing and able for this job!
Sweet Jesus!
So many unfair comment about RTE and also really unjustified and hurtful comments about individual presenters. RTE have and continue to provide an amazing service and all the ratings speak much louder than any of the begrudging comments here. So much more provided than the radio and TV programmes, orchestras, children’s choirs, the sport coverage is second to none. So get over
It everyone and if you don’t like it switch the dial.
Can’t stand that woman. Give her a cookery show
Thank whoever, they did NOT resurrect Gaybo – that would definitely be a step too far.
Bring back John Murray he was brilliant – easy to listen to and intelligent. Rest of the presenters are very light between the ears. They have no sense if responsibility for broadcasting misinformation to the millions. When I was in communications school we were always told – facts facts facts – and double check your facts. Organisations have to release factual material but rte presenters can ‘presume’ and ‘assume’ live in air and have no consequences for lack of facts! Joe Duffy and Derek Mooney are worst for this. Please bring some new people on to the airwaves and I agree with poster above – get Marty off lyric fm. He’s another dingbat. He keeps talking but most of it is total rubbish.
A completely new voice would be good.
‘Claims’ is the key word in the headline. It’s not credible that MO’C hasn’t thought about it. And she’s ubiquitous, think we need someone new…
John Murray apparently has a flare-up of arthritis according to a bit of googling I did earlier in the week.
So she hasn’t ‘actually’ thought about it…??? Yeah right. I’d say you have your kids Afterschool activity schedule worked out at home around his hours..!!! You’re a dope if you haven’t thought about it.
This woman would give you ire!!!
Not her again ! Can they not find someone new ? For about one tenth of the cost !
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