RTE's Joe Duffy stunned Liveline team with exit bombshell minutes before going on air amid ‘very hard to replace' fears

The Irish Sun

09-05-2025

JOE Duffy has spoken of his 'incredible honour and privilege' after announcing his departure from RTE.
And he
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Joe Duffy confirmed he was leaving the state broadcaster after 37 years
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Joe Duffy and Gay Byrne worked together on The Gay Byrne Show
Credit: RTE
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Harry Crosbie told us that Joe 'will be a very hard person for RTE to replace'
Credit: Crispin Rodwell - The Sun Dublin
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Katie Hannon is the early favourite for Joe's replacement
But he shocked listeners of his popular afternoon show — which he has hosted since 1999 — confirming he was
However,
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An insider told us: 'Joe told his team just before yesterday's show, so that it wouldn't be a surprise to them on air.
'No one wanted the news to leak out before the programme.
'But Joe told senior management at RTE of his decision so they had a press release ready to go.'
In his bombshell statement, Duffy said: 'After 37 wonderful years here in RTE, and 27 years presenting Liveline, it has been an incredible honour and privilege to be part of a programme that relied entirely on trust — the trust of our listeners.
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'People felt they could pick up the phone, ring Liveline, and share their lives, problems, stories — sad, bad, sometimes mad and funny — their struggles and their victories.
'I never took that for granted, not for a single minute.
'RTE has been a great place to work. Public service has always been at its heart.
RTE fans left in stitches as Joe Duffy 'couldn't get a word in' during his own radio show
'And now, after many happy years, I've decided the time has come to move on.
'I'd like to thank you the listener for tuning in each and every day, it has been an honour to sit in this seat and hear your stories.'
Joe's final day in the Liveline hot seat will be Friday, June 27.
As he bowed out, Joe also paid tribute to his predecessor, saying: 'Liveline began under the stewardship of the late
'NEXT CHAPTER'
'So onwards. I'm looking forward to the next chapter. Please, please keep talking to Joe, I'm here until the end of June.'
Telling his listeners about his decision to move on, Duffy added: 'I've been blessed to work alongside hundreds of producers, researchers, broadcasting assistants and the wider public servants who make RTE.
'Those lifting a paintbrush, wielding a Black & Decker, a hoover drill, operating a sound desk.
'From the person at reception to the person climbing a mast.
'We were and are all working towards the same goal — serving the public.
'And it goes without saying that my wife June and my three children, Sean, Ellen and Ronan, have been such a part of keeping me going, day after day, often through difficult times.
'ETERNALLY GRATEFUL'
'For that alone I am eternally grateful.
'As the
'And I hope, in some small way, through Liveline and through RTE, we made people feel heard.
'And now, after many happy years, I've decided the time has come to move on.'
Duffy also hosted a wide range of TV programmes for RTE, including Liveline Callback and The Meaning of Life, as well as several acclaimed documentaries.
'And it goes without saying that my wife June and my three children, Sean, Ellen and Ronan, have been such a part of keeping me going, day after day, often through difficult times."
Joe Duffy
The broadcaster was a recipient of many awards, including a Jacob's Award in 1992 for his work on The Gay Byrne Show, various IMRO Awards and he was also inducted into the PPI Hall of Fame in 2013.
The search is now on for Joe's replacement, with Katie Hannon the early favourite for the gig.
'VERY POPULAR'
But friends and colleagues have told how Duffy will be sorely missed at RTE.
A Montrose insider told The Irish Sun: 'Joe Duffy is very popular with his colleagues.
'If a fellow presenter had a problem with RTE management he would empathise and offer his own experience and offer advice.
'Joe was there himself so many times in an office with RTE bosses. He could tell younger colleagues how management worked — whether it was rows about money or about their programme or about legal stuff.
'GENEROUS WITH TIME & ADVICE'
'Joe was always generous with his time and advice. Whether it was a presenter or a researcher with a problem Joe was always there for them.'
One of Joe's best pals, developer Harry Crosbie, told The Irish Sun: 'Joe will be a very hard person for RTE to replace because they broke the mould when they made Joe.
'He has truth running through every part of his body and he tells it like it is. That's become a rare quality. A real Dubliner who loves the people.'
Another source denied that Joe's salary — reported to be €351,000 in 2023 — and RTE caps on wages had any role to play in the departure.
They insisted: 'Joe has told friends, 'There's a million things I want to do when I retire'.
'I think Joe felt he isn't getting any younger and has stuff he wants to do with his family, personal projects he wants to do, his art and his writing.'
'PULSE OF THE NATION'
Senior bosses at the Montrose station last night paid tribute to Joe, calling Liveline the 'pulse of the nation'.
RTE Director-General Kevin Bakhurst said: 'Liveline doesn't just have its fingers on the pulse, it is the pulse of the nation.
'Joe unearthed scandals, exposed scams, fought misinformation and shone a light on ignored topics.
'He was always the guide, never the story. His insights were in balance with his human instincts, and Liveline became both a sanctuary for those seeking justice, and a public square of which Joe was in full control.'
He continued: 'Joe is an icon of broadcasting, and will be hugely missed by his listeners, colleagues, and all who picked up the phone to the nation's hotline.'
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Joe's final day in the Liveline hot seat will be Friday, June 27
Credit: Not known, clear with picture desk