Latest news with #RTÉ2FM
Sunday World
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- Sunday World
Brian Dowling and Jennifer Zamparelli return to airwaves as they fill in Today FM slot
The pair are set to cover for Dave Moore as he takes two weeks' holidays Brian Dowling and Jennifer Zamparelli are set to return to the airwaves over the next two weeks as they cover for Dave Moore on Today FM. Taking to Instagram, Dowling, who left sister station 98FM earlier this month after two years, announced the news. 'And Just Like That... I'm back on the radio,' the father of two shared. 'So excited to be filling in for the man who is in shorts 365 days of the year @davetodayfm for his show on @todayfm as he takes his Summer holidays, well let's be honest if I had legs like him I'd do the same." Brian will host the show for one week, starting on Monday, with former RTÉ 2FM star Jennifer Zamparelli then taking over for the following week. 'I'm taking the reins from Monday for a week & then the gorgeous @jenzamparelli takes over from there. Bring on the next week of RADIO FABULOUSNESS. 'To the team, there START YOUR ENGINES & in the words of @gourounlian LET'S DO THIS.' Sharing the news to her Instagram account, Jennifer said: 'Standing in front of a @davetodayfm poster. Asking his listeners to love me.' Brian announced his shock departure from 98FM on June 3 following a rumoured rift with his co-host Suzanne Kane. 'I made the decision earlier in the year that I would not be continuing co-hosting on Brian Dowling & Suzanne Kane on @98fmdublin making this Friday June 6th my very last show on Brian Dowling & Suzanne Kane,' he said in a statement. "When I joined Suzanne back in March of 2023, I had ZERO radio hosting skills. Blake was only 6 months old & baby Blu was only a twinkle in our eyes. It took me a minute to get into my new groove, but when I did, WOW, I honestly have had the best time & have genuinely laughed every day; even on those bad days, being part of this show ALWAYS puts a smile on my face. "Here we are now 2 years & 3 months later & I'm still laughing & smiling. I have learned so much about an industry I've been in for nearly 24 years, presenting mainly television shows but now my love for radio easily equals my love for telly. Thanking the show's production team, Brian said it 'never felt like work.' Jennifer Zamparelli & Brian Dowling News in 90 Seconds - June 27th 'I mean, how could it when I'm playing the likes of Britney, S Club & JLO, to name but a few.' he said. 'I am so looking forward to a slower Summer; I'm not actually sure if I can operate on a slower pace. Brian said he would continue to present The Six O'Clock Show on Virgin Media, adding that he would also shoot his TV sho The Salvage Squad. 'As well as some trips away I've planned; in fact, it's turning out to be a very memorable Summer. 'Goodbyes are not something I'm very good at, but this doesn't feel like a goodbye at all; it's more of a talk to you later. This is Brian Dowling & you are listening to 98FM ♥️' Meanwhile, Jennifer left RTÉ 2FM last May after presenting her own show on the station for five years. She recently admitted that while her name was in the mix to take over from Joe Duffy when he leaves Liveline today after 27 years, she has 'no interest' in the job. When asked if she wanted his job by Oliver Callan on his Radio One show today, Zamperelli took herself out of the running for the role. "Absolutely not. No interest, no,' she told the presenter. Speaking about her departure from the station, she said she missed being on air. 'I miss the interaction with people, I miss the craic, I miss my team. 'But do I have any regrets? I don't think so, because I've been able to do so much other stuff.'
Sunday World
24-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Sunday World
Doireann Garrihy fears ‘judgement from people' ahead of arrival of first child
"I just feel so lucky having my first baby, to be doing it with my sister, who I live 10 minutes away from, and there's just a lot to look forward to,' Doireann said. RTÉ 2FM presenter Doireann Garrihy has said she fears she might face judgement from people as a new mum. The Dancing with the Stars host (33) is expecting her first child with husband Mark Mehigan. The couple, who tied the knot at the end of last year, announced they are expecting a baby back in April, as the presenter took to Instagram to reveal the happy news. In the first episode of the third season of her podcast, Doireann and Friends, she was joined by her sister Ailbhe Garrihy, who is also currently pregnant with her third child. Doireann, who said she is 'feeling great' and has 'lots of energy' during her second trimester, shared with her sister that she fears the judgment on social media which comes with being a mum. Doireann Garrihy and her fiancé Mark Mehigan. Photo: Instagram "I just don't know how I'm going to prepare for A, judgment from people, and then B, mum guilt as a result of people being judgy,' she said. Doireann, who currently hosts 2FM Drive, said she had a 'couple of experiences' of receiving unsolicited advice on her social media and inappropriate in-person comments. "Someone wrote to me today. I made an iced coffee, and someone replied saying: 'I really hope that's decaf for the baba'. 'Generally, I would ignore, and I just replied and said: 'My doctor told me I can have a coffee a day'. 'When I hadn't announced, I hadn't said it to anyone, there was one person who kept writing to me on Instagram saying: 'I think you have news for your followers. Wink, wink'. Doireann Garrihy pictured for Sunday Independent Living. Photo: Gerry Mooney News in 90 Seconds - June 24th 'So when you get that message, of course, my brain went into overdrive. I was like: 'Okay, I've been seen in the hospital, and I look pregnant. Who have I said it to that maybe has said to someone somewhere?' 'When I did announce, someone was like: 'Yeah, [I] knew you were pregnant during Dancing with the Stars. Do you know why? A lot of your outfits were very leg-focused. I was like: 'I've been getting my legs out as much as possible [my whole life]'.' Her sister Ailbhe, who is the mother to Séan (4) and Fionn (2), added she thinks pregnancy and parenthood open up 'these flood gates'. "It's almost like people are like: 'Okay, now we can just say whatever we want,' she said. The Garrihy sisters also spoke about the joy of being pregnant at the same time, as there are 'six weeks between them'. "I just feel so lucky having my first baby, to be doing it with my sister, who I live 10 minutes away from, and there's just a lot to look forward to,' Doireann said. 'I feel so unbelievably lucky that it's happening at the same time as you.' They added that sharing their maternity leave would be the first time they had spent more time together since secondary school. 'I hope it'll just be walks and coffee. I hope we do, and I hope we stick to it,' Ailbhe said.
Sunday World
30-05-2025
- Health
- Sunday World
Donncha O'Callaghan on why he's embracing the ‘dad bod' after 20 years as an athlete
'Like, who gives a s**t that you're PB-ing at 46?'' The former rugby star is now better known as a radio and TV presenter after retiring from the game in 2018. And the father-of-four says he's loving his more laidback diet and exercise regime after 20 years as an elite athlete. Donncha O'Callaghan with Maverick Hernandez Sanchez, Alicia Ottun and Katie and Ellie Talbot 'It's not sustainable,' Donncha reflects on his sporting prime. 'I'm gone the other way totally with that — I'm fully embracing it. 'Within professional circles, it's very easy to be on top of things — your nutrition is looked after, all your physio and deep tissue massage. 'It isn't until you come away that you get an appreciation for how difficult it is. 'From rugby, it's mad, you don't see, like, a chicken breast — that's 40 grams of protein. You see two scoops of rice or pasta as 50 grams of carbohydrates. Rugby legend turned TV personality Donncha O'Callaghan News in 90 Seconds - May 30th '[You're] looking at the nutrients as opposed to, 'Oh my God, that tastes amazing!' 'To be fair, it's quite enjoyable, because there's no accountability, there's no DEXA scans, there's no millimetres and skin folds of fat, so you can be a bit looser,' he continues. 'I look at some of my teammates and they're in better condition now than when they were playing. 'What a waste that was … like, when we needed you to be in incredible shape, you weren't!' Munster legend Donncha shares four children with engineer wife, Jenny Harte: Sophie (14), Anna (12), Robin (11) and Jake (9). Donncha with his family So he's thrown his towering 6ft 6ins support behind Tesco Ireland's new Stronger Starts Cooks initiative, a free six-week programme aimed at supporting children's health and wellbeing, which is set to be delivered to almost 3,000 pupils across 42 primary schools this year. 'Looking at this research, 92 per cent of parents felt they'd love more cooking within the curriculum,' he quotes a survey conducted by the store, 'and we feel the same. 'It isn't until you go into secondary [school] that you start to pick up Home Economics, if you're into it. 'Other than that, there isn't a whole lot of knowledge about it. So I think it's a good thing if you can do it, and family-wise, get around. Donncha runs out of Ireland 'The big one we do is, if we're doing a roast on a Sunday, everyone gets involved with different things. So Robin, my little girl, makes the best stuffing in the world, and Anna is a dinger at mashed potato. But then, honestly, it's like something you'd see with Gordon Ramsay — if the mash isn't good, everyone's telling her!' The popular host is now also home for breakfast after leaving RTÉ 2FM after five years on the air last year. And the 46-year-old, who quit just weeks after co-host Doireann Garrihy, maintains it was the right call. 'I don't miss the early hours, it was really cruel,' says Donncha, who was also flanked by Carl Mullan on the Breakfast Show. 'If I was in Dublin, I was up at three. 'But I do miss that team, and obviously Doireann and Carl I love to bits, so I do miss hanging around with them. 'I actually do miss presenting a little bit as well, I didn't think I would… but I think it's something you have to enjoy doing. Donncha on Ireland's Fittest Family 'With breakfast radio, you can't bullsh*t it — you have to be a morning person.' On TV, Donncha also joined the Ireland's Fittest Family line-up as a coach back in 2017. But the Cork native reveals how he'd secretly love to take part in another reality TV hit as a competitor. 'We love The [Great British] Bake Off, genuinely,' tells the star, who watched Tommy Tiernan's turn on the recent Great Celebrity Bake Off for Stand Up To Cancer on Channel 4. 'Like, we're addicted to it. 'I'd certainly love to give something like that [a go]. But, then again, I can't cope when it goes wrong. 'The kids all love baking, and they're good. 'I wish I was better at sticking with the process, but I'll always come up with some way of [taking shortcuts] — if the cake's ready in 20 minutes at 180C, if I crank it up to 200C, it'll be done in ten.' Read more Although he still weight trains, as much for mind as body, the Ireland rugby great laughs that he hasn't succumbed to the Hyrox craze: 'I slag a few of my friends that do it. 'If I could still do stuff like that, I'd be playing. But I do an awful lot of what I like doing. 'I train with a few buddies of mine — I'm actually training with [former Ireland rugby international] Tomás O'Leary at the moment. 'One thing I learned is I don't need to go to the well all the time. 'Whereas rugby, you finish empty — no matter what you do, you max out. 'It happened me on holidays, I was lifting weights, and I tried to go after a few weights that I hit on before and threw out my back, and I was no good for a week on the water slides. 'Like, who gives a s**t that you're PB-ing at 46?'
Irish Daily Mirror
25-05-2025
- Irish Daily Mirror
Former RTE 2FM star 'taken advantage of' as she avoids jail over laundering scam
Former 2FM DJ Nikki Hayes has said she was 'taken advantage of' as she opened up about avoiding jail over a money laundering scam. The Dubliner, who had her own show on RTÉ 2FM from 2003 to 2010, avoided a criminal conviction and jail time last October for her part in a money-laundering scam after the court accepted that she was a vulnerable person who was taken advantage of. The court was told the money - about €15,000 lodged into her bank account as part of a laundering scam — had been repaid and Nikki had not gained financially. The judge also said she had shown a complete turnaround and would not serve any sentence or have a criminal record. Opening up about the court case, Nikki – whose real name is Eimear O'Keeffe - said: "You're locked away in rehab for months and then suddenly you're out and there's cameras in your face. 'My key worker was with me and she held my hand and said, 'Just keep praying until we get to the car', and as we walked there was a guy with a TV camera who ran up behind us and I just kept praying and praying until I got in." Some people trolled her about the case on social media. "It's been proven, the Garda from the fraud squad said at the court case that I was genuinely taken advantage of and had nothing to do with what happened, which is why I was discharged from the indictment," she said. Nikki also told the Sunday Independent that she ended up homeless in 2023 after she lost her job and got in with the wrong crowd. She admitted she had been drinking during her days as an RTÉ radio DJ but that she was 'scarily high-functioning' and drank six bottles of wine per day as she broadcast her radio show from home during the Covid-19 pandemic. When she became homeless in 2023, she used to sleep in the doorway of the Penneys store on O'Connell Street or on a bench near the Jervis shopping centre. 'I had a blue sleeping bag with cardboard underneath. That cold feeling when you're so wet and you feel dirty... it was just horrendous.' She said she hit rock bottom one night as she watched a crowd of people pass her coming out of a nightclub, and she felt 'invisible'. Nikki said: 'I felt so ashamed and dirty and like a piece of trash, and then two Gardaí walked by and they didn't even look at me.' The 46-year-old has since gone through an 18-month rehabilitation programme in Tiglin to detox herself from drugs and alcohol. Now that she is back on track, Nikki added that her 12-year-old daughter is keeping her motivated. 'I have my daughter, she has her mother present now, and that's what's important,' she added.
RTÉ News
24-05-2025
- Entertainment
- RTÉ News
All the celebrity looks & winners from the VIP Style Awards 2025
The annual Platinum VIP Style Awards took place tonight at the InterContinental Hotel in Dublin's Ballsbridge, once again inviting Ireland's biggest style stars to dress to the nines. Presenters, broadcasters, influencers, and famous faces brought glitz and glam to the red carpet for the 22nd year of the hotly anticipated event. Ireland's most fashionable celebrities were in attendance, including the presenter of the awards, RTÉ 2FM presenter Laura Fox. Other guests included Jennifer Zamparelli, Celia Holman Lee, Kathryn Thomas, Lottie & Bonnie Ryan, Blathnaid Treacy, Muireann O'Connell, Katja Mia, Anna Daly, Rosanna Davison, Arthur Gourounlian, Zara King, Roz Purcell and many more. And the winners are… Ireland's Most Stylish Woman - Muireann O'Connell Style Icon of the Year - Noel Cunningham Ireland's Most Stylish Man - James Patrice Ireland's Most Stylish Influencer – Maeve Madden Ireland's Most Stylish Newcomer – Kayleigh Trappe The Look of the Year Award – Rosanna Davison Favourite Irish Designer Award – Sinead Keary Ireland's Favourite Stylist – Mandy Maher Most Sustainable Style – Courtney Smith Best Dressed on the Night – Lynn Kelly Click through the photo gallery above to see all the red carpet looks from the night.
