RTE's Lottie Ryan pays tribute to Joe Duffy as she eyes her own talk radio show
RTE star Lottie Ryan has said she would love to land her own talk radio show like her dad – as she pays tribute to family friend Joe Duffy.
The Liveline host is set to retire from RTE on Friday June 27 after 37 years working at the national broadcaster.
Paying tribute to Joe, Lottie said: 'We've known Joe and June and their family for a long, long time. They're good family friends, and they are genuinely the nicest people you will ever come across. Joe is what you hear. He is genuinely that person that just wants to talk to and help everyone.'
Her sister Bonnie said: 'And I think he's probably earned at this point to retire. The sad thing is, if we can't talk to Joe, who are we going to talk to?"
'Talk to Lottie,' Bonnie said jokingly.
When asked if Lottie would love to throw her name in the hat to take over Liveline, she said: 'That's not my side of the building. Definitely not. That's not my side of the building. I just want to make good radio and obviously I see myself being a talk broadcaster."
Bonnie added: 'She'd smash it.' Lottie added: 'Liveline…Ryan Line.. it has a little ring to it.'
Lottie said she reckons it was a very difficult decision for Joe to announce his retirement. 'I'd imagine that was very because it's very difficult for him. I mean, you saw the video, it's heartbreaking.'
But despite being close pals with the Duffy family, she said she wasn't given a heads up that his retirement announcement was imminent. 'No, so I think it was just between him and his family,' she added.
RTE have said they will reveal Liveline's next host in August. But we revealed in the Sunday Mirror that Kathryn Thomas is backing Daithi O Se for the gig.
She told us: 'I think Daithi would be fit for the job. It's about connecting with the audience. You have to be one with the people, which Joe always was, which Daithi is and I always try to be. We're all in it together.'
'No one will ever fill Joe Duffy's shoes. Joe was one of a kind. And when I say one of a kind, he's one of the kindest people I know.
'One of the first cards that I got when I got to my desk at Q102, was from Joe Duffy, and then texts a couple weeks later, saying 'You're sounding really great'.'
'He will be sadly missed and whoever has the opportunity to go in there and continue the work and put their own stamp on it is extremely important.'
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