Former RTE star Ryan Tubridy has kicked off his new Virgin Radio show saying he has “so much to do and so much to say”.
The 50-year-old Irish broadcaster, who was the long-time host of RTE’s flagship The Late Late Show, launched his new mid-morning show on the UK network on Tuesday.
Tubridy left Ireland’s national broadcaster in the summer following weeks of controversy related to revelations that the organisation had publicly under-reported payments to him.
He began his first show in the UK by saying: “Well, good morning. We are live from the top of the tower, looking out at drizzly, grey, beautiful London city and beyond.”
He asked listeners to send in “thoughts, ideas, suggestions or anything that might be troubling your mind”, adding: “We have so much to do, so much to say and we will do it all after this…”
He then played Pride (In The Name Of Love) by Irish megastars U2 as his first song.
Reflecting on his time hosting RTE’s Late Late Show, he said it was “the most lovely job in the world” but that he is “having a great time so far” working in London.
Today's the day – Ryan Tubridy is here at the top of the tower!
His brand new Virgin Radio UK show starts this morning straight after the #ChrisEvansBreakfastShow with cinch 📻
Listen LIVE from 10am ⤵️https://t.co/yb9SyNsR4J#RyanTubridy #VirginRadioUK pic.twitter.com/8kdM12LRBC
— Virgin Radio UK (@VirginRadioUK) January 2, 2024
After reading out a number of good luck messages from listeners, he added that he “cannot wait to get stuck in” 2024.
His first show also featured an interview with Gladiator star Russell Crowe, who he revealed he became friends with two summers ago when the actor was filming horror thriller The Pope’s Exorcist in Ireland.
Crowe interrupted hosting a party in Sydney to speak to Tubridy and got his guests involved briefly by getting them to make animal noises to give listeners a sense of the Australian bush.
The actor asked whether the show was “the losing of your virginity or the gaining of the Virgin job” to which Tubridy said it was “a new beginning”.
Crowe added: “I think you’re going to do great things in that town, that town is a fascinating city as we all know.
“I think you’re just perfect for that place man, I think they’re just going to find you very, very interesting.”
They also discussed the books they are both reading currently and Crowe’s new role portraying Nazi Hermann Goring in the upcoming historical drama Nuremberg.
He said he will be doing an accent for the role and there are “hours of tape of him (Goring) talking” which is helping him “zero in on how he actually sounded”.
Ending their chat, Crowe said: “Have a fantastic day, I’m absolutely sure everything’s going to go really well for you.”
Alongside being broadcast on Virgin Radio, Tubridy’s mid-morning show will be broadcast simultaneously on Irish radio outlet Dublin’s Q102.
He will also present a dedicated Irish weekend show across the Wireless Ireland station network, covering Dublin’s Q102, Cork’s 96FM, Live 95 in Limerick and LMFM.
Tubridy stood down as Late Late Show host earlier this year but was continuing to present his weekday show on RTE Radio One when the furore over incorrectly disclosed payments RTE made to him erupted in the summer.
At that point, negotiations over a new radio contract for Tubridy were halted and he was taken off air amid the crisis that engulfed the organisation.
RTE director-general Kevin Bakhurst later re-entered negotiations with a view to securing Tubridy’s return to the airwaves on a new contract but those talks broke down in August after the director-general claimed the presenter was not taking sufficient responsibility for his role in the payments controversy.
Tubridy has insisted he was not overpaid by RTE, but rather RTE underdeclared his agreed remuneration.
