‘I have to look after myself' says Joanna Donnelly as she breaks silence and reveals reason she quit RTE News
JOANNA Donnelly has finally broken her silence on her shock exit from RTE News.
The meteorologist announced her departure from Met Eireann during her final forecast on RTE's Nine O'Clock News on Monday night.
3
Joanna Donnelly has announced she is stepping down from Met Eireann
3
Joanna broke her silence on the news on Instagram
3
Joanna admitted it was a 'hard decision'
The Dubliner has been broadcasting on
Radio
1 since February 2002.
has been flooded with messages from fans wondering why she left.
In a short clip posted to her
star
admitted she has been feeling "overwhelmed" by the response.
The presenter said: "The messages of support I have been receiving, I am genuinely shocked at the reaction."
READ MORE IN JOANNA DONNELLY
Joanna then cleared the air regarding her exit, adding: "This is not a decision I came to lightly by any means.
"It was a very, very hard decision to make."
The former
family
.
Joanna revealed that she would not be back on screens "for a while" and added: "I have to take some time and look after myself."
MOST READ IN THE IRISH SUN
The news star went on to thank her followers for their many messages over the past few days.
She emphasised: "I seriously can't believe how many messages of kindness and support I have received.
Joanna Donnelly signs off air
"I am really, really touched and as I said it was a very hard decision to make. But I think it was the right one."
The mum-of-three joined
Met Eireann
in 1995, working as a meteorological officer before being
But she became a star of the small screen when she started fronting
weather
bulletins on RTE One and 2 in December 2015.
COLOURFUL CAREER
In 2018, Joanna penned an illustrated book called The Great Irish Weather Book.
Joanna then launched her second book, Malin Head to Mizen Head, which is a journey around Ireland's Sea Area Forecast in 2023.
The 54-year-old is married to fellow forecaster, Harm Luijkx, who hails from The
The weather presenter met Harm while on a training course with Met Eireann.
Harm has also worked with Met Eireann and together they have three
children
, a daughter Nicci, and two sons, Tobias and Casper.
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