Latest news with #NoelKelly
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Ryan Tubridy repays 150,000 euro at centre of RTE pay scandal
Irish broadcaster Ryan Tubridy has repaid RTE a sum of 150,000 euro he received as part of a controversial payment deal made in 2020. Tubridy was to be paid a total 225,000 over three years by the national broadcaster as part of a deal to top up his salary, which was not disclosed by RTE. The presenter was paid two instalments of 75,000 euro by RTE for personal appearances for commercial sponsor Renault as part of the contentious deal. The deal involved Tubridy making three appearances per year at Renault events. RTE executives previously said Renault paid Tubridy the first 75,000 payment, but then pulled out of the tripartite deal. Tubridy left Ireland's national broadcaster following weeks of controversy relating to the organisation publicly under-reporting payments to him. Tubridy was also the long-time host of RTE's flagship Late Late Show on Irish TV. In a statement issued on behalf of Mr Tubridy on Friday, he said: 'Earlier today I made a payment of 150,000 euro to RTE. 'I made this payment through my solicitor, without any discussions with RTE – or with anyone acting on their behalf – and without condition. 'I have said on various occasions that I intended making this payment and I'm happy to have been able to do so today.' RTE director general Kevin Bakhurst previously said he would welcome a repayment of 150,000 euro from Tubridy and his agent, Noel Kelly, over unfulfilled commercials events the broadcaster had underwritten. He told an Oireachtas committee in July 2023 that there is probably no legal obligation for them to do so. Tubridy now presents a show on Virgin Radio UK.
Irish Times
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- Irish Times
Ryan Tubridy announces €150,000 payment to RTÉ after financial controversy
Ryan Tubridy has announced he has paid RTÉ €150,000 in connection with controversial payments made to him that plunged the broadcaster into controversy and led to him leaving the station almost two years ago. 'Earlier today I made a payment of €150,000 to RTÉ,' Mr Tubridy said in a statement on Friday afternoon. 'I made this payment through my solicitor, without any discussions with RTÉ – or with anyone acting on their behalf – and without condition.' The statement concluded with Mr Tubridy stressing he had 'said on various occasions that I intended making this payment and I'm happy to have been able to do so today.' READ MORE Mr Tubridy, who now works for Virgin Radio UK, was to be paid a total of €225,000 over three years by RTÉ as part of a deal brokered by him, his agent Noel Kelly and the station in 2020. [ Cliff Taylor: Understanding the two sums of money that tell the story of Ryan Tubridy's downfall Opens in new window ] In return for the payments, which were not disclosed publicly by RTÉ until 2023, he agreed to participate in three corporate events for Late Late Show sponsor Renaut. The payments were nominally made by the car maker but RTÉ underwrote all three and effectively paid Mr Tubridy. The sums were not classified in the broadcaster's annual accounts as salary payments. At the height of the controversy over the 'secret payments' in 2023, Mr Tubridy indicated he would be willing to repay the money should he return to RTÉ. [ Dave Fanning: 'I felt very sorry for Ryan Tubridy. He was vilified' Opens in new window ] Asked in 2023 if Mr Tubridy should repay the €150,000 received for those events, RTE's director general Kevin Bakhurst said it might not be possible, on a legal basis, to recoup the money. But he also said there was a 'moral case' for Mr Tubridy to repay the sum.
BreakingNews.ie
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- BreakingNews.ie
Ryan Tubridy repays €150,000 at centre of RTÉ pay scandal
Ryan Tubridy has repaid RTÉ a sum of €150,000 he received as part of a controversial payment deal made in 2020. Mr Tubridy was to be paid a total €225,000 over three years by the national broadcaster as part of a deal to top up his salary, which was not disclosed by RTÉ. Advertisement The presenter was paid two instalments of €75,000 by RTÉ for personal appearances for commercial sponsor Renault as part of the contentious deal. The deal involved Mr Tubridy making three appearances per year at Renault events. RTÉ executives previously said Renault paid Mr Tubridy the first €75,000 payment, but then pulled out of the tripartite deal. Mr Tubridy left the national broadcaster following weeks of controversy relating to the organisation publicly under-reporting payments to him. Mr Tubridy was also the long-time host of RTÉ's flagship Late Late Show. Advertisement In a statement issued on behalf of Mr Tubridy on Friday, he said: 'Earlier today I made a payment of 150,000 euro to RTE. 'I made this payment through my solicitor, without any discussions with RTE – or with anyone acting on their behalf – and without condition. 'I have said on various occasions that I intended making this payment and I'm happy to have been able to do so today.' RTÉ director general Kevin Bakhurst previously said he would welcome a repayment of €150,000 from Mr Tubridy and his agent, Noel Kelly, over unfulfilled commercials events the broadcaster had underwritten. Advertisement He told an Oireachtas committee in July 2023 that there is probably no legal obligation for them to do so. Mr Tubridy now presents a show on Virgin Radio UK.
Irish Times
29-05-2025
- Business
- Irish Times
Ryan Tubridy willing to address repayment of €150,000 to RTÉ at ‘appropriate time'
Ryan Tubridy would have no major problem dealing at an appropriate time with the issue of €150,000 in controversial payments made to him by RTÉ , a source close to the broadcaster has said. However, there are unresolved issues between the former Late Late Show host and his former employer, including an outstanding data access request, the source said. 'It would be unreasonable to expect the issue (of the €150,000 payments) to be dealt with until those other matters have been resolved,' they added. Tubridy, who now works for Virgin Radio UK, and his agent Noel Kelly have made requests to RTÉ to access all data pertaining to them held by the broadcaster from around the time of the payments controversy that led to him leaving the organisation. READ MORE RTÉ is understood to have spent more than €100,000 in legal fees responding to the request, but it is understood there is a dispute between the parties on the extent of the information that should be provided. The requests were made under data protection law, which entitles people to see what personal information a body holds about them. It is understood the requests were submitted about 18 months ago but have not yet been finalised. RTÉ director general Kevin Bakhurst told the Oireachtas media committee on Wednesday that Tubridy had not repaid to the national broadcaster the €150,000 he received as part of a controversial payment deal in 2020. Tubridy was to be paid a total of €225,000 over three years by RTÉ as part of a deal brokered by him, Mr Kelly and the station in 2020. In return, for the payments, which were not disclosed publicly by RTÉ until 2023, he agreed to participate in three corporate events for Late Late Show sponsor Renault . The payments formed the centre of a controversy that resulted in Tubridy, then RTÉ's highest-paid presenter, leaving the station that year. Asked in 2023 if Tubridy should repay the €150,000 received for those events, Mr Bakhurst said it might not be possible, on a legal basis, to recoup the money. But he also said there was a 'moral case' for Tubridy to repay the sum. The payments were nominally made by Renault but RTÉ underwrote all three and effectively paid Tubridy. The sums were not classified in the broadcaster's annual accounts as salary payments. At the height of the controversy over the 'secret payments' in 2023, Tubridy indicated he would be willing to repay the money should he return to RTÉ.
Irish Independent
12-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Irish Independent
The Indo Daily: Ryan Tubridy, Joe Duffy, Eurovision... is the RTÉ soap opera back in business?
If you thought this particular saga was over, think again. Though he has long decamped to London for the halls of Virgin Radio, Tubridy and his superstar agent Noel Kelly are keenly focused on goings-on in Donnybrook. The pair are entrenched in a lengthy search for answers related to Tubridy's headline-making departure two years ago, with the ongoing hunt for clarity said to be costing a hefty sum. Speaking of money problems, well, RTÉ has plenty of those to deal with already, including a seven-figure write-down, and a contentious staff redundancy scheme. Meanwhile, the upcoming Eurovision Song Contest and Liveline presenter Joe Duffy's shock exit announcement are causing their own unique headaches. Is the RTÉ soap opera back for a brand-new season? On this episode of The Indo Daily, host Ellen Coyne is joined by Fionnán Sheahan, Ireland Editor with the Irish Independent, to look at the latest goings-on at the national broadcaster.
