Joe Duffy announces retirement from RTE after 37 years
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Joe Duffy has announced he will retire from RTE after 37 years.
The Liveline presenter closed the show today with the announcement. He will present his final episode of Liveline on Friday, June 27.
The Ballyfermot man has been at the helm of Liveline for the majority of his career, reaching 27 years of listening to and helping Ireland's population with their concerns and problems. Many would advise to "talk to Joe" is there was an issue that could not be resolved.
Speaking on Liveline earlier today, he said: 'After 37 wonderful years here in RTÉ, 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. 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. RTÉ has been a great place to work. Public service has always been at its heart. And now, after many happy years, I've decided the time has come to move on. I would 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 also hosted a wide range of programmes for television, including Liveline Callback and The Meaning of Life, as well as several acclaimed documentaries. Joe has been a recipient of many awards during his acclaimed career, 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.
One of the first from his local area to go to Trinity College, Joe eventually President of the Union of Students in Ireland. He led protests on campus highlighting access to education and spending two weeks in Mountjoy Prison as a result and then went on to join RTE in 1989 after working in the probation service.
Kevin Bakhurst, Director-General, RTE, said: 'Whether breaking stories like the first powerful moments of the 9-11 attacks in the US, or helping the nation navigate the often heart-breaking challenges of a global pandemic, Joe Duffy's Liveline doesn't just have its fingers on the pulse, it is the pulse of the nation. Joe Duffy is an icon of broadcasting, and will be hugely missed by his listeners, his colleagues, and all who picked up the phone to the nation's hotline. I'd like to wish Joe all our best for his retirement and extend my warmest wishes to June and to Joe's family. He might be hanging up on the Liveline, but our loss is surely his family's most welcome gain.'
Joe Duffy will be Patrick's Kielty's special guest on tomorrow night's The Late Late Show , marking his 37 years in broadcasting. RTE will run a process over the coming months to appoint Joe's successor with an announcement expected in the autumn.
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