Latest news with #Tubridy
Wales Online
18 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Wales Online
Broadcaster pays back six figure sum after pay scandal
Broadcaster pays back six figure sum after pay scandal 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. Ryan Tubridy (Image: Ryan Tubridy/Instagram) 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. The payments were not disclosed by RTE in its annual accounts as salary payments. 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 was mired in controversy after it emerged in June 2023 that it under-reported fees paid to Tubridy and failed to correctly disclose 345,000 euro of payments to him between 2017 and 2022. Tubridy, who now presents a show on Virgin Radio UK, previously said he would offer to pay back the payments at the centre of the controversy. 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. The furore led to further disclosures about RTE's internal financial, accounting and governance practices and its expenditure on corporate hospitality for advertising clients. The Government carried out two separate external reviews of RTE while a forensic auditor examined the broadcaster's accounts. The Public Accounts Committee and Media Committee also conducted their own probes into the affair. In a statement, RTE said: "RTE can confirm that it has received payment of 150,000 euro from Ryan Tubridy via his solicitor this afternoon. Article continues below "RTE welcomes the payment and would like to thank Ryan Tubridy for making it."
Sunday World
20 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Sunday World
RTÉ could face ‘staff rebellion' if Ryan Tubridy returns after repaying €150k,
Former Late Late Show host says he made payment 'without condition' There are mixed feelings among staff at RTÉ as to whether they would welcome the return of Ryan Tubridy. RTÉ confirmed on Friday that the former presenter has repaid the organisation a sum of €150,000, which he received as part of a controversial payment deal made in 2020. Speaking to the Sunday World, a source in RTÉ radio said there could be a mass rebellion among staff if he returns to Montrose. 'The general feeling is he was right to repay that money and he was foolish to have taken it in the first place,' the source said. 'In terms of coming back, the feeling ranges from 'it's still way too soon' to 'there would be mass rebellion from the staff'. Former RTÉ presenter Ryan Tubridy. Photo: Colin Keegan News in 90 seconds - 10th August 2025 'Some feel that although it might be unfair that he became the face of the whole RTÉ scandal, it was taking the money and a lack of judgment over how he responded to it by refusing to accept any responsibility that got him there.' The source said there is also a general feeling among some of his former colleagues that Tubridy 'would love to come back to Ireland full-time', but they said they 'would be very surprised if RTÉ agreed to have him back this soon'. 'It will be RTÉ director general Kevin Bakhurst's decision and he did leave the door open at the time.' A second radio insider was damming in their assessment: 'RTÉ should have their heads examined if they are considering bringing him back, but nothing would shock you in Montrose. 'Ryan Tubridy's issue is not familiarity, everybody knows him for the right or wrong reasons: the issue is whether he can get over the scandal in the public's eyes.' They added that 'the listenership in his old RTÉ Radio 1 slot has grown since Oliver Callan took over, so the audience don't seem bothered he's gone'. Tubridy left RTÉ following weeks of controversy relating to the organisation publicly under-reporting payments to him. In a statement on Friday, RTÉ said it received the payment via Tubridy's solicitor. 'RTÉ welcomes the payment and would like to thank Ryan Tubridy for making it,' it said. In a statement issued on behalf of Tubridy, he said: 'Earlier today, I made a payment of €150,000 to RTÉ. I made this payment through my solicitor, without any discussions with RTÉ — or with anyone acting on their behalf — and without condition.' Last month, Tubridy announced his engagement to his partner Dr Clare Kambamettu, after a jeweller in Galway leaked the news. The radio and TV presenter broke the news on his Virgin Radio show, joking that 'the cat had been removed from the bag'. Before Tubridy confirmed the news, the jeweller shared an image on social media of the broadcaster with Ms Kambamettu outside the store, prompting speculation, which was later confirmed when it was revealed that the proposal had happened in the west of Ireland. The couple were recently spotted out and about mixing with Tubridy's former RTÉ colleagues at Joe Duffy's leaving party.
Extra.ie
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Extra.ie
Tubridy set for RTE comeback
Ryan Tubridy is 'positioning himself' for a sensational return to the national broadcaster, multiple sources have told In a dramatic turn of events, Tubridy today repaid the 150,000 'secret payment' which was at the heart of his exit from RTE more than two years ago. News websites and were the first to break the news that Tubridy had returned the sum of 150,000 to the public coffers. Ryan Tubridy. Pic: Nick Edwards And in the wake of the news breaking, a number of insider radio sources told that returning the massive sum of money is 'more than just an altruistic gesture.' 'Would you hand back €150,000 if you didn't have to? Sorry for my language but you would in your h**e' 'There has to be a quid pro quo. So Ryan's handed over the quid so what's the pro'. 'There's the hand of god- or in this case the hand of Noel Kelly- behind the returning of the 150k,' said a source very familiar with the backroom wheeling-and-dealing in radioland. Noel Kelly with Ryan Tubridy – Pic: Colin Keegan/Collins Dublin 'It's been well-known for quite some time that Kelly has been orchestrating a campaign to get Tubridy back to RTE,' said the source 'That old saying 'a fool and his money are easily parted' springs to mind. And Noel Kelly may be many things, but a fool he is most definitely not.' 'So returning the money, just a day after the JNLR's when RTE listenership figures were pretty poor across the board ,smacks of more than a goodwill gesture.' Ryan Tubridy. Pic: Virgin Radio UK Indeed the mutterings that Tubridy is set for a comeback have been whispered quietly in the Montrose corridors for some time now. But when the news was broken by today that Tubs had handed back the cash, the whispers became somewhat louder. 'Its been kind of whispered- behind closed doors of course – that Tubrdiy may be coming back. Noel Kelly has been spotted, I'm not going to say in RTE but he's been seen around the vicinity,' they laughed. And the timing couldn't be more prescient. Former RTE Director General Dee Forbes with Ryan Tubridy – Pic: Sam Boal/ 'The JNLR's were out yesterday and RTE did not do well. Joe Duffy is gone, so their flagship show Liveline is up for grabs. It was also announced this week that Mark Simpson was coming across from Newstalk. He has no bad blood with Tubridy, so things are slowly slowly adding up for Tubs to make a road to Damascus-esque return.' 'And here's the other thing. Kelly just doesn't come with a presenter, he comes with a package. Much like he negotiated a sponsorship deal for Doireann Garrihy's 2Fm show. So if Tubridy were to be taken back, his show would be bumper listeners for the first few months at least. So what brand, aside from Renault of course- wouldn't want to get on board that train and sponsor the greatest comeback in RTE's history.' Indeed a third source in the upper echelons of RTE Radio towers further confirmed that a return could very well be on the cards. Clare Tubridy and Ryan Tubridy join Elgin Loane, Publisher of The Irish Post, for The King George for a day of hospitality curated by Zafar Rushdie at Ascot Racecourse. Pic: Getty Images 'Whatever media people may think about Ryan, the fact of the matter is there is an enormous amount public goodwill and show of support for him amongst the general public.' He's got a certain kind of a way with people, they just gravitate to Ryan in a way that not many other broadcasters have. And with Mark Simpson coming over from Newstalk, he hasn't made any promises to staff about Tubridy or voiced any opinion on the matter. Mark has come from an independent station and they are focused now on what listeners want. And to be honest a lot of listeners want Tubridy.' Mark Simpson – Pic – RTE Mutterings of the potential return of Tubridy back into the RTE fold began to circulate when he pitched up at Joe Duffy's leaving bash in July. One source told that when they saw Tubridy mingling among his former colleagues at RTE, it was a sign that the prodigal son was making inroads back. 'As soon as I saw Ryan there I was like 'hmmm, this is a sign that fences are mending. It's well known that Ryan is a homebird . He can survive in London but he's not exactly thriving' . His show on Virgin isn't setting the world alight but it's a gig. But Tubridy loves Ireland and it's kind of known that he wants to come home. And home for Ryan has and always will be RTE.' Ryan Tubridy and Graham Norton at Evans Store Bantry before going onstage for the last event of this years West Cork Literary Festival. Pic: Darragh Kane And an RTE staffer told that management at Montrose are 'spineless ' and as 'sure as day they would have him back' 'Of course they'll have him back. They're spineless. It doesn't matter what promises were made to staff or how they might feel if Ryan returns. They rather put up with a few disgruntled workers than stand up for their principles. So yeah of course they'll have him back.'
South Wales Guardian
3 days ago
- Business
- South Wales Guardian
Ryan Tubridy repays 150,000 euro at centre of RTE pay scandal
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. The payments were not disclosed by RTE in its annual accounts as salary payments. 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 was mired in controversy after it emerged in June 2023 that it under-reported fees paid to Tubridy and failed to correctly disclose 345,000 euro of payments to him between 2017 and 2022. Tubridy, who now presents a show on Virgin Radio UK, previously said he would offer to pay back the payments at the centre of the controversy. 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. The furore led to further disclosures about RTE's internal financial, accounting and governance practices and its expenditure on corporate hospitality for advertising clients. The Government carried out two separate external reviews of RTE while a forensic auditor examined the broadcaster's accounts. The Public Accounts Committee and Media Committee also conducted their own probes into the affair. In a statement, RTE said: 'RTE can confirm that it has received payment of 150,000 euro from Ryan Tubridy via his solicitor this afternoon. 'RTE welcomes the payment and would like to thank Ryan Tubridy for making it.'
North Wales Chronicle
3 days ago
- Business
- North Wales Chronicle
Ryan Tubridy repays 150,000 euro at centre of RTE pay scandal
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. The payments were not disclosed by RTE in its annual accounts as salary payments. 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 was mired in controversy after it emerged in June 2023 that it under-reported fees paid to Tubridy and failed to correctly disclose 345,000 euro of payments to him between 2017 and 2022. Tubridy, who now presents a show on Virgin Radio UK, previously said he would offer to pay back the payments at the centre of the controversy. 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. The furore led to further disclosures about RTE's internal financial, accounting and governance practices and its expenditure on corporate hospitality for advertising clients. The Government carried out two separate external reviews of RTE while a forensic auditor examined the broadcaster's accounts. The Public Accounts Committee and Media Committee also conducted their own probes into the affair. In a statement, RTE said: 'RTE can confirm that it has received payment of 150,000 euro from Ryan Tubridy via his solicitor this afternoon. 'RTE welcomes the payment and would like to thank Ryan Tubridy for making it.'
