Revealed: The five candidates set to get a chance at Liveline audition
An RTÉ source said Montrose bosses have identified five potential internal candidates to take over Duffy's coveted Radio 1 programme.
These include the Drivetime duo Sarah McInerney and Cormac Ó hEadhra, regular Liveline stand-in Katie Hannon, Saturday show presenter Colm O'Mongáin, and Countrywide host Philip Boucher-Hayes, who will stand in for Duffy from Monday. Sarah McInerney and Cormac Ó hEadhra. Pic: Ruth Medjber
After Boucher-Hayes, three of his RTÉ radio colleagues will get their chance to impress in the Liveline hotseat, RTE confirmed last night. It is understood Katie Hannon has already done enough while filling in to stake her claim. Sources also said a 'serious shake-up' of RTÉ's Radio 1 stable is on the cards.
One RTÉ insider told Extra.ie: 'The race is on! There is a serious shake-up coming, especially in relation to Drivetime.
'So bosses here want to kind of sound out how they [McInerney and O hEadhra] do on Liveline. Colm O'Mongáin. Pic: File
'Sarah McInerney is really good on the current affairs side. They [RTÉ bosses] want to check if she can do the lighter, bright and breezy stuff on a regular basis. Cormac Ó hEadhra ticks both boxes,' they said.
The source said O Mongáin 'has made a seriously good impression here, so his name keeps popping up. While not as well known, Colm is making a great fist at his weekend show, so there's the thinking that a relatively new name would be best to take Liveline into the future.'
Hannon, whose Monday night current affairs TV show – Upfront With Katie Hannon – was cancelled this week, is also 'in the mix', according to sources. Katie Hannon on RTÉ Radio 1. Pic: RTÉ
But one insider told Extra.ie: 'There is no doubt that Katie has handled the role well whenever she stands in for Joe, but that in no way means that she will get the gig full time.'
The focus on internal talent appears to rule out outside candidates such as Newstalk presenter Ciara Kelly, who had been rumoured to be in the frame to succeed Duffy. RTÉ opened an 'expressions of interest' portal as part of its search for the new Liveline host, which will remain open until this Friday, July 4. The final decision on Duffy's replacement will be made in September.
It is understood there was significant interest in the job among RTÉ's stable of radio and TV personalities. However, sources said RTÉ has narrowed the field to the five who will temporarily present the show over the summer in a 'sink or swim' on-air interview to ensure the 'right person for the job' is appointed. Joe Duffy. Pic: Michael Chester
Referring to the challenge of finding the right successor to Duffy, a source noted: 'Whoever does land the gig has to demonstrate they have a serious level of current affairs knowledge, and an ability to grapple with some tricky legal issues that often arise on Liveline.
'And quite frankly, some people simply don't possess those skills,' the source added.
Long-serving Montrose star Duffy announced in May that he was hanging up his Liveline mic after 27 years at the helm of the flagship RTÉ Radio 1 phone-in show.
An RTÉ spokeswoman yesterday confirmed Boucher-Hayes, McInerney, O hEadhra and O Mongáin will fill in as Liveline presenter until Duffy's successor is announced.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Journal
2 hours ago
- The Journal
Will Leahy to be replaced as MC for Rose of Tralee by 2FM breakfast host
A VETERAN RTÉ presenter is being replaced as the Rose of Tralee's MC by a 2FM breakfast host. Will Leahy said that, after 20 years in the role, he will step down. He'll be replaced by Carl Mullan, who also co-hosts a show with Roz Purcell and Aisling Bonner on RTÉ 2FM every day. His new gig, which has the official title of Master of Ceremonies, involves announcing the Roses and presenting the show's social media content. Daithí Ó Sé will stay on as the main host, alongside Kathryn Thomas. But Leahy's two decades with competition even outdo Ó Sé, who has been there for 15 years. In a statement posted to his social media, Leahy said he's not leaving to post to do another project. 'I'd keep doing it forever, but I've been in the job 20 years, which is an eternity in the presenting world,' he wrote. Advertisement 'I'm going to miss the annual mad summer camp that I have been honoured to be part of for all these years.' He wished Mullan luck in thje job and joked that they can compare notes in 2045, after 'his 20 years'. Dáithí Ó Sé and Kathryn Thomas joined by some of the 2025 Roses at a photocall ahead of the event Andres Poveda Andres Poveda The Rose of Tralee will air on RTÉ One on Monday, 18 August and Tuesday, 19 August at 8pm – with a break for the Nine O'Clock News. We'll see 32 Roses from Ireland and abroad compete to be crowned the Rose of Tralee. In the past, winners were given cars, holidays and free hair styling for a year. All this week, the Roses have been on tour, stopping in Meath, Limerick and towns around Kerry. They visited farms, hotels and even a chocolate factory – all part of the Rose experience. Today they'll be welcomed in Tralee ahead of the official event. James Patrice returns with backstage coverage of the competition. Readers like you are keeping these stories free for everyone... A mix of advertising and supporting contributions helps keep paywalls away from valuable information like this article. Over 5,000 readers like you have already stepped up and support us with a monthly payment or a once-off donation. Learn More Support The Journal
Irish Independent
4 hours ago
- Irish Independent
Tradespeople line up for ‘DIY SOS' to help Wicklow boy with cerebral palsy
The team behind the RTÉ show DIY SOS will be heading to Wicklow town this September to help the Ferguson family, whose 17-year-old son Kyle has cerebral palsy. His family need to adapt their home so he can live with greater independence, dignity, and comfort. In order to sign volunteers up to help with the build, a trades day was held from 11am to 4pm on Thursday at St Patrick's GAA Club, where local trades people could volunteer their services. Orlagh Murphy, a senior producer with Indiepics, the production company behind the show, was pleased with the turnout on the day, while other tradespeople had already made a commitment to the project beforehand by email and phone. 'Everything is donated, right up to every cup of tea drank to every nail that is hammered,' she said. 'It fortifies a real sense of community spirit and we will have around 150 people on site during the build. We have had volunteers who were involved in the first series still giving us a hand whenever they can. "Others loved the experience so much they try to volunteer at all of our build projects. As one contractor on a previous build said to me, 'you can't pay for people to work this hard'.' She added: 'This is a very special project. We already had one man come in at the start of the trades day to tell us that he and his two brothers are all electricians and they are all volunteering. "The show makes a huge impact on people and does genuinely change their lives. The Ferguson's are such a lovely family and are very well known in the area. Their neighbours have been very supportive, as has everyone living in their estate.' Kyle uses a wheelchair, but the current layout of the family home means he is unable to use it indoors and must rely on tripods to get around. He currently depends on his parents to support him up and down the stairs, which means he can only access the upstairs area at bedtime. The main bathroom still includes a standard bath, which is no longer suitable for his needs, and he requires daily support with dressing and personal care. 'There is a huge amount of preparation involved,' added Orlagh. 'For instance, there will be 150 people on site during the build, and they will all need to be fed three times a day. So the whole build will also involve local food outlets, and we will also need some people to serve the meals and to clear up afterwards.' JJ Rhatigan are the contractors behind the project, while the interior designer will be Gwen Kenny. 'Gwen gets a brief from us and then also talks to the family so she can get a sense of what they want and are looking for,' added Orlagh. Having met the family and Kyle to discuss their needs, Gwen was impressed by how modest Kyle's request were, and she said she has some big surprises in store for the Ferguson family, along with the rest of the DIY SOS team. Gwen said: 'What Kyle wanted was so minimal. He was only really looking for things like an L-shaped desk, a couple of plants for his room and a different place to play his Xbox. He was also very keen for his wheelchair user friends to visit his house, because while he has visited their homes in the past, they have never been able to visit his home. 'We have some massive surprises in store for Kyle and the family, with loads of really good things planned. "I have been blown away by everybody's generosity. People are coming in with their own ideas and the build team are amazing. 'I was at the site the other day when one of the neighbours came around with cakes for everyone, which I thought was such a lovely touch. Everyone is behind Kyle and the Ferguson family.' The build commences on September 2, with works taking place over nine days, before the Ferguson family can return to their newly adapted home. Orlagh said: 'The family get to briefly meet the volunteers on the first day of the build when they leave the house, and then get to properly meet all the volunteers once the build is complete. "They always generally want to thank all of the volunteers individually. The volunteers often consist of a mix of strangers and family members, as well as people the family we are building for may see all the time, but who they had never been introduced to before. 'It can be a very emotional occasion as the family see the new build for the first time and get to thank all the volunteers, I know I'm always in tears.'
Irish Independent
20 hours ago
- Irish Independent
Michael Flatley, John Brennan and Evelyn O'Rourke reveal treasured keepsakes which saw them through cancer journeys
He found out he had malignant melanoma in 2003, aged 45 and was diagnosed with another aggressive form of cancer in recent years. 'It stopped me in my tracks. My flute became a source of comfort and clarity. Playing it helped me step back and ask myself: have I done enough - for my family, my friends, for those who need my support?' he said. 'The answer pushed me to fight harder. I thought of my wife and son every day, and the life I still wanted to live with them. And my beautiful flute carried my spirit when I needed it most. Thanks to research, I'm still here and now I'm committed to giving back more than ever - with gratitude and purpose.' Mr Flatley is one of the cancer survivors who has contributed a special item – in his case his flute - to an exhibition by Breakthrough Cancer Research which was launched in St Stephen's Green Shopping Centre in Dublin today. Cancer Revolution: Science, Innovation and Hope will run from from Friday, September 15 to October 31 on the first floor of the shopping centre. Other well known people who contributed are hotelier, John Brennan, who previously ran the Park Hotel in Kenmare in Kerry with his brother Francis. He was diagnosed with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, aged 46. 'My cancer was found following a gallstone removal so I suppose I was lucky. At my initial meeting with my consultant we were told it was Stage 4 which meant nothing to me at the time. I embarked on chemo almost immediately and thankfully experienced little side effects,' Mr Brennan said. 'Since then I have had further chemo but again lucky as little discomfort. It is now 14 years since my diagnosis and I live a normal daily life. No two people are the same but cancer has given me a different view on life. 'It has made me realise the importance of today and make the most of it. I've always found great solace being out on the water. To me this compass is a symbol of the calm, direction, and perspective that time on the water has given me.' ADVERTISEMENT Learn more RTÉ's Arts and Media Correspondent Evelyn O'Rourke told how she was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2010, aged 38. 'We have two gorgeous teenage boys, Oisín and Ross and we are so lucky that life is so lovely. I hugely appreciate all the good days, as back in June 2010 I got a breast cancer diagnosis, when I was just a few weeks pregnant with our second son, Ross,' Ms O'Rourke said. 'Oisín was just was six months old then. Thankfully, treatment went really well for me, but during that whole time I had started writing letters to try and explain the situation for myself and my boys. 'Those letters were turned into this book and over the years, moms-to-be who have had to face a diagnosis have got in touch. I'm always so pleased, because it means the book helps and you can't ask more than that.' The exhibition also has personal items which saw other cancer patients through their journey. Orla Dolan, CEO of Breakthrough Cancer Research, explains: 'This exhibition is a powerful reminder that science and humanity are inseparable in advancing cancer care. Every breakthrough we pursue is driven by real stories and real lives. ole research plays in transforming outcomes. It's a celebration of resilience, collaboration, and the hope that fuels every step forward.'
