Culture That Made Me: Zara King reveals her heroes and touchstones

Irish Examiner

11-05-2025

Zara King, 36, was born in Cork, but grew up on Dunmore Rd, Co Waterford. She studied journalism at Griffith College Cork. In 2010, she joined iRadio Ireland as a news and sports journalist. She later worked with several radio and TV stations, including Newstalk, before joining Virgin Media as a TV news reporter in 2017. Last year, she was appointed Virgin Media's southern news correspondent.
Kay Burley
I didn't watch much television growing up because I was always riding horses, but there was TV news and current affairs on in the background in the house. My grandmother – living near Courtmacsherry in Cork – had Sky on all the time in her house.
Kay Burley, recently retired after 36 years in broadcasting, was on TV from as long as I can remember. She was the face of some of the biggest world events in history. You knew when Sky dispatched Kay Burley onto the ground somewhere, this was going to be a big, international story.
Alex Crawford
Alex Crawford of Sky News.
The correspondent I most admired, as a 15-year-old, was Alex Crawford. She's a special correspondent with Sky who has been to all the war-torn places, to the remotest parts of the world. She exemplifies truth-telling and giving voice to those who don't have one. I'm in awe of her bravery, her resilience, her storytelling. She always puts people at the centre of how she tells her stories. I find that style, that way of news really appealing. She's an icon of our time.
Rafters
In college in Cork, I lived across the road from St Fin Barre's Cathedral, within walking distance of Washington Street where there were great nightclubs. It wasn't uncommon for myself and my friends to be watching The West Wing box set and take a notion at 10 o'clock. We'd run upstairs and get the lipstick on and we'd be down in Suas, a little cocktail bar off Washington Street, by 11 o'clock, for a cocktail.
Then over to Rafters for a dance – this night club called Rafters because it was in the rafters of a building., Back up home by whatever time and then we'd be in our lectures for nine. It was a lovely time in our lives.
Spice Girls
My favourite gig of all time was the Spice Girls reunion concert. I was a child of the '90s when the Spice Girls were at their peak. The concert was pure nostalgia. The Spice Girls had girls of my generation believing there was nothing we couldn't achieve. That idea of girl power.
We really felt that so when they announced that reunion tour gig at Croke Park, I was 100 percent intent on going. I went with one of my best friends from college. We had the time of our lives. Nothing has topped it since, and I don't think anything will. It was brilliant.
Succession
Succession is so well made. The production values are unreal. The characters are dislikable and yet I adore them. I love the character, Tom, Siobhan's husband. He's such a devious character, but there's something endearing about him. He never minds other people being collateral damage for his advancement. He's unapologetic about his ambition. 'You can't make a Tomlette without breaking some Greggs.'
The West Wing
The West Wing is my favourite box set of all time. I started watching it in college so there's nostalgia around it. My friends and I who lived together in college binge watched it. There's something comforting about going back to a box set of characters you knew before at a different time.
It's like bumping into old friends. I love the idea of getting behind-the-scenes insight into the White House. It's not something you get to see every day.
Graham Norton
My favourite books, which are not work-related, but chill-out books, are Graham Norton's. Many are set in West Cork. I devoured his most recent one, Frankie, within a day. It was brilliant. It's set in New York. The stories are not what you think they're going to be on the face of it. I love that.
There's interesting twists and turns and complex characters and heart in them. His style of writing is so descriptive you almost feel like you're sitting, smelling and tasting the things his characters go through.
His & Hers
Emily Rose McHugh, a participant in His & Hers, with director Ken Wardrop. Picture Patrick O'Leary
An Irish documentary, which was made in 2009, is His & Hers. It has stayed with me. It was produced by Ken Wardrop. It's a simple concept.
Women of all ages – from a little girl who can just about speak right up to a lady at the senior point of her life – talking about relationships with the men in their lives. They never reveal anybody's name. It's a series of these women just saying, 'He does this, he does that.' In some moments, you realise the person they're talking about is now gone. It's gorgeous storytelling, a lovely piece of Irish filmmaking.
Running from Politics
Eoghan Murphy is a former housing minister. His book Running from Office: How to Fail at Politics is about his time in office and why he got out of politics. It's a searingly honest account of what happened, and the pressures he experienced. At times, you're reading it and thinking, oh, I can't believe you're admitting this.
That honesty is admirable. He lifts the lid on the reality of life in politics – the sense of responsibility people in positions of power have, not just to the public, but to individuals who get them into office, those who canvassed for them. Sometimes loyalty to those people probably keeps them in office, in his case longer than he might have wanted to stay. It's an interesting read.
Endgame
About three years ago, I went with my colleague and good friend, Muireann O'Connell, to see a Samuel Beckett play at Dublin's Gate Theatre. It was Endgame with Robert Sheehan in it. It was amazing. Robert Sheehan is an unbelievable actor. It was a memorable night in the theatre.
Documentary on One
I love RTÉ's Documentary on One radio documentaries and podcasts. Each week, you never know what's going to pop up. Their topics and subject matters are so varied. There's one they made about two kids from Dublin that stowed away and made their way to New York. It's so good.
I love listening to other people telling stories. The way the Doc on One team produces their stories is top class – the production, the sound quality, the sound effects are so professional. Good audio production and radio is about making you feel like you're there. You get taken on a journey. I love the Doc on One. It's a great listen.
My Therapist Ghosted Me
I love My Therapist Ghosted Me, Joanne McNally's podcast with Vogue Williams. A lot of women of my vintage enjoy it. Joanne McNally is so funny, observant, sharp and witty. She's hilarious in the most simple and intelligent way in equal measure. To see her star rise over the last four years, she's killing it and deservedly so – a woman in comedy at the peak of her powers, selling out huge runs at Vicar Street. Amazing. I love her podcast.