Inside Leo Varadkar's family life ahead of former Taoiseach's 'ultimate reset' on new RTE show
Leo Varadkar, along with Lyra, rap trio Kneecap, hurler Joe Canning, Olympian Thomas Barr, Camogie star Ashling Thompson and Paralympic gold medallist Ellen Keane are all pushed to their physical and mental limits — and then some — in an upcoming series of wilderness challenges.
The former Fine Gael leader stood down from his leadership roles last year, and said the time has come for him to 'explore new options and opportunities.'
Now, Mr Varadkar is set to grace RTE screens again on Wednesday, May 14, as he is one of a host of celebrities appearing in Uncharted, an extreme outdoor expeditions show hosted by former special forces soldier Ray Goggins. Former Taoiseach Leo Varadkar. Pic: Niall Carson/PA Wire
The former Fine Gael leader is of Indian-Irish descent and was born to an Indian man and an Irish woman. He has two sisters. The family settled in Dublin in 1973, having moved from the UK to India and back to Ireland.
Pre-politics, Varadkar practised as a non-consultant hospital doctor and general practitioner, having obtained a degree in Medicine at Trinity College Dublin.
During the 2015 campaign for same-sex marriage, Varadkar came out as gay and was the first serving Irish minister to do so. A young Leo Varadkar.
Varadkar has represented the Dublin West constituency since 2007 and has held various ministerial roles within the Irish government, including Taoiseach and Tánaiste.
Following Enda Kenny's resignation as Fine Gael leader, Varadkar took over — beating Simon Coveney on the way. He became the youngest-ever Taoiseach in 2017, aged 38 years old. Simon Harris has still taken over that accolade, taking over as Taoiseach this year, aged 37 years old.
Varadkar was also Ireland's first openly gay Taoiseach and the first Taoiseach from an ethnic minority group. Following Enda Kenny's resignation as Fine Gael leader, Leo Varadkar took over — beating Simon Coveney on the way. Pic: Mark Stedman/RollingNews.ie
He served as Taoiseach from 2017 to 2020 and again from 2022 to 2024 before announcing his resignation. He was Tánaiste from 2020 to 2022.
Other roles Varadkar has held include Minister for Transport Tourism and Sport; Minister for Health and Minister for Social Protection.
Varadkar spoke publicly for the first time about being gay in January 2015, telling RTÉ Radio 1 that it is 'not something that defines me. It is part of my character I suppose.'
It is understood he started dating cardiologist Dr Matt Barrett in the same year, with the pair often snapped together throughout the years and Varadkar himself even giving an insight into his relationship. The pair are based on Dublin's South Circular Road in a cushy three-bedroom house which Barrett purchased for more than €800,000 during the COVID-19 pandemic. Pic: Max Mumby/Indigo/Getty Images
The pair are based on Dublin's South Circular Road in a cushy three-bedroom house which Barrett purchased for more than €800,000 during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Despite being open in sharing their day-to-day lives online, the couple have more recently decided to step back from being so public, with Varadkar telling The Ciara Phelan podcast they had a 'desire for a certain degree of privacy.' Leo Varadkar with his partner Matt Barrett during a Six Nations rugby match between Ireland and France in 2019. Pic:Earlier this year, the outgoing politician lifted the lid on his future with Matt and the possibility of having children, as he explained it was 'nice to give them back.'
Speaking to Cork podcasters Julie Haynes and Brenda Dennehy on Left on Read, Varadkar admitted children weren't in his future.
'He's definitely my partner for life or at least I hope he is, talking about marriage but no immediate plans to do so,' Varadkar said.
'And no particular reason to do so.'
The former Taoiseach's new TV stunt comes not long after he secured a position with the international public relations firm Penta Group, joining its Global Advisory Board. He began his new role on April 10.
Headquartered in Washington, DC, Penta Group operates offices across the US, Europe, and Asia, including in Dublin.
In January 2023, the company expanded its reach by acquiring the Irish PR firm Hume Brophy, founded in 2005 by John Hume, son of the late SDLP leader and Nobel Peace Prize laureate, and Dublin businessman Eoin Brophy.
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