Ryan Tubridy (born 28 May 1973) is an Irish broadcaster.
He currently presents an Ireland–only radio show called The Ryan Tubridy Show on Sundays from 10:00AM–12:00PM on Dublin's Q102, LMFM, Cork's 96FM and Live 95 FM in Limerick and his own podcast series The Bookshelf with Ryan Tubrity.
His broadcasting career with RTÉ spanned over two decades, where he presented many shows on radio and television, most notably The Late Late Show on RTÉ One from 2009 to 2023. Other shows he presented include RTÉ 2fm's The Full Irish (2004–2009) and Tubridy (2010–2015), RTÉ One's Tubridy Tonight (2004–2009), RTÉ Radio One's The Tubridy Show (2005–2010) and The Ryan Tubridy Show (2015–2023). He also hosted the Rose of Tralee contest on two occasions and worked for BBC Radio.
Tubridy has written several books, including JFK in Ireland, The Irish Are Coming and Patrick and the President. He was known as the highest-paid person at RTÉ over several years; related controversies included his initial refusal to take a voluntary pay cut in 2009, and, most importantly for his career, in 2023 over misstatement of his total earnings and additional payments, at least some made via a costly "barter account" mechanism. The latter scandal led to RTÉ dispensing with Tubridy's services in August 2023.
Background and early life
Birth and education
Born in Booterstown, Dublin, in 1973, Tubridy was educated at Carysfort National School and Blackrock College. Tubridy studied Greek and Latin, He was also a member of the Fianna Fáil Kevin Barry Cumann, and involved with the Dún Laoghaire branch of Ógra Fianna Fáil, as well as Belfield FM. and the only son of the Fianna Fáil TD Seán Tubridy (1897–1939). Seán Tubridy was the only son of Patrick Tubridy (1869–1920) and Jane Waldron (born 1868). Tubridy's mother is Catherine (née Andrews), Garrett ran unsuccessfully for the Pembroke-Rathmines ward of Dublin City Council at the 2009 local elections. During the election campaign Ryan was advised against making public appearances alongside his brother.
A maternal uncle, Niall Andrews, was a TD and MEP, while another maternal uncle, David Andrews, was an Irish Government minister. Two of his first cousins, Barry Andrews and Chris Andrews, have also sat in Dáil Éireann as Fianna Fáil TDs, the former being a Minister of State for Children in the coalition government of Brian Cowen, since then becoming chief executive of aid charity GOAL, while the latter was re-elected to Dáil Éireann as a Sinn Féin member in 2020. Another first cousin, David Andrews Jnr, is a comedian who works under the pseudonym of David McSavage. Following Tubridy's departure from The Late Late Show, McSavage publicly criticised him for never having him as a guest in his 14 years as host. McSavage regularly appeared as a guest under Tubridy's predecessor Pat Kenny. Tubridy also claims actor Tom Cruise as a distant relation through marriage.
Broadcasting career
Though later noted for his perceived bookishness, it was television films that interested Tubridy as a child; he wrote to RTÉ at the age of 12, to complain that there should be more of those on TV for the likes of him and others who were his age. Tubridy said at the death of Gerry Ryan that "The moment I set foot in RTÉ, he put his wing around me and said: 'I like what you do. I like what you are. I'm going to look after you.'" He credits Ryan for his kindness "in a place which is so full of ego and bizarre resentment".
Later he worked as a reporter for Today with Pat Kenny, as well as occasionally presenting the radio news show Five Seven Live. In the summer of 1999, Tubridy presented Morning Glory on RTÉ Radio 1 and in July 2000 he moved to The Sunday Show. From 2002 until 2005 he presented RTÉ 2fm's morning breakfast show, The Full Irish. The move to the morning by Head of 2fm John Clarke was seen as risky, with station insiders disapproving and Hot Press publishing a double-page editorial with the headline "station in turmoil". Within one year its ratings had soared and Tubridy was given a major award. Clarke later described moving Tubridy to the morning as the best decision of his 25-year career in radio. Around this time, he wrote a column for the Sunday World in which he expressed amongst other things his support for Barack Obama, "one of his favourite singers" Fionn Regan and the success of Kenny Egan, a silver medal winning boxer at the 2008 Summer Olympics. He later interviewed Said Obama, the uncle of U.S. President Barack Obama for The Tubridy Show. Tubridy hinted he would consider moving to new pastures if the opportunity arose.
After the death of Gerry Ryan, Tubridy's friend and colleague, Tubridy was the subject of rumours by various newspapers that he would be succeeding him in the RTÉ 2fm slot, becoming RTÉ's top earner with a salary of 1 million. In June 2010, RTÉ confirmed that Tubridy would in fact fill that slot from August, presenting a programme called Tubridy from 09:00 to 11:00. His salary remained unchanged. In an RTÉ press release, he was quoted as saying: "In my new role on RTÉ 2fm I will be presenting a programme that will be very different, with a different time slot, and a different style of presenting." To allow for presenting The Late Late Show, his show was only two hours long, compared to the 3 hours that Gerry Ryan's show lasted.
After finishing The Tubridy Show on 16 July 2010, he began presenting Tubridy on RTÉ 2fm on 20 August 2010, surprising listeners by starting the programme three days earlier that what was originally scheduled for 23 August. His first guest on the programme was Bono. His RTÉ Radio 1 slot was filled by John Murray.
Tubridy returned to RTÉ Radio 1 in September 2015 to host The Ryan Tubridy Show, an hour-long weekday morning show. On 17 August 2023, it was confirmed that Tubridy would not return to his presenting role in RTÉ after negotiations with RTÉ Director General Kevin Bakhurst collapsed in the wake of the RTÉ secret payment scandal. He had been off-air since the revelations broke.
Television
Tubridy was presumed heir to Gay Byrne as presenter of The Late Late Show as early as 2003, when he was about to take over as presenter of the Rose of Tralee, another of Byrne's former roles.
He refused RTÉ's leading afternoon TV programme Open House, upon discovering that it required his services on Fridays only.
However, it was announced on 11 May 2009 that Tubridy would indeed succeed Pat Kenny as host of The Late Late Show. He vowed to bring back Gay Byrne's "one for everybody in the audience" catchphrase, described by Will Hanafin in the Irish Independent as an attempt to "dig up more old relics than archaeologists would on an excavation", in reference to Tubridy's passion for history. Tubridy said he was "very taken aback" to learn he had been selected, describing it as "a humbling honour to be asked to present such an iconic programme". His role as host allowed him to fulfill a childhood ambition – presenting The Late Late Toy Show – "I know this is the one that I always wanted. I love the fact that children are uncontaminated by the reality of adulthood". Tubridy Tonight concluded on 30 May 2009.
Tubridy's first guest on The Late Late Show was Taoiseach Brian Cowen, an interview that drew an audience share of 62 per cent. Gay Byrne, the original host, was one of Tubridy's guests in December 2009.
Tubridy often clashed with his guests. In May 2011, a former director of television at RTÉ, Helen O'Rahilly, said of The Late Late Show: "If I was back in charge of RTÉ, you wouldn't see this utter shite on Friday night".
On 16 March 2023, Tubridy announced that he would be stepping down as the presenter of The Late Late Show after 14 years. His last show was broadcast on 26 May at the end of the 2023 season. Tubridy requested a "low key/no fuss" finale and no wrap party was held between Tubridy and his production team after the final episode aired, and there were no speeches. Patrick Kielty was announced as Tubridy's successor.
BBC Radio
In July 2010, Tubridy's agent Noel Kelly confirmed that Tubridy was offered by the BBC to present a summer filler for Jonathan Ross's BBC Radio 2 programme. He turned down the offer citing preparations for The Late Late Show and the recent death of Gerry Ryan. It was confirmed that Tubridy would present the slot for eight weeks from 23 July 2011, covering for Ross' replacement, Graham Norton.
Tubridy returned to the BBC in December 2011, this time as a replacement for Ken Bruce on Radio 2. Amid constant media criticism related to declining listenership and viewership figures, he received support from Chris Evans and was defended by Vincent Browne. Tubridy has also stood in for Chris Evans on the Radio 2 Breakfast Show, and Simon Mayo on the Radio 2 drivetime slot. In 2015, he has also stood in on Terry Wogan's weekend show on Sunday.
Presenting the Toy Show
Tubridy has spoken of the personal pleasure he takes from his annual presenting of The Late Late Toy Show, which he did ahead of Christmas for fourteen editions of the programme between 2009 and 2022. Tubridy explained: "When you guys aren't here and the Toy Show isn't on, I'm walking around Clifden (in County Galway) or Dublin or wherever, and you're the Toy Man to children, all year round. It is one of the greatest, weirdest gifts I've ever been given".
In November 2022, ahead of what turned out to be his last edition of the Toy Show, Tubridy visited St Finian's National School in Finglas, where he was reminded of the Toy Man effect. He explained: "I looked through the window, and I'd forgotten the magic of the Toy Show and the Toy Man because jaws dropped, mouths were grabbed, eyes came out".
During his time with RTÉ, Tubridy was not an employee, but was a contractor, and, as of 2011, was reported to be paying himself €283,756 a year from his production company, Tuttle Productions.
Virgin Radio UK
On 16 November 2023, it was announced that Tubridy would join Virgin Radio UK in early January 2024 to present its mid-morning programme live from London following The Chris Evans Breakfast Show.
Tubridy presented his first show on Virgin Radio UK on 2 January, with The Ryan Tubridy Show airing weekdays from 10am to 1pm and simultaneously broadcast on Dublin's Q102. It was also announced that he would host a dedicated Irish weekend programme each Sunday, with The Ryan Tubridy Show on Sundays airing from 10am to 12pm on Dublin's Q102, Cork's 96FM, LMFM, and Limerick's Live 95. He presented his last Virgin Radio show in December 2025. He currently presents a Sunday-afternoon show on Virgin's sister station, Times Radio from 1pm-4pm.
Other activities
On 2 November 2011, Tubridy was MC and guest of honour for the launch of the Irish Film Archive Preservation Fund at the Irish Film Institute.
The following month he helped switch on the Christmas lights on Grafton Street.
Children's and cancer charities
Tubridy is a UNICEF ambassador. His interest in reading leads to his particular interest in childhood literacy.
Tubridy has also been associated with the Society of Saint Vincent de Paul Toy Appeal.
After The Late Late Toy Show Tubridy often sent his famous jumpers off to be auctioned for charity. The jumper he wore on his 2009 Toy Show debut found a suitable cause in the 2010 Haiti earthquake and was dispensed with on the radio programme Money. That jumper raised €1,050. The jumper he wore on the 2011 Toy Show he donated to the fund of artist Alexandra Trotsenko on the radio programme Liveline. €10,000 was raised for SVP from the auction of the infamous "Elf Christmas Jumper" after the 2012 edition of The Late Late Toy Show.
As well as his interest in the welfare of children, Tubridy has assisted in the promotion of other, more adult, initiatives, including the launch of a breast cancer initiative in May 2009.
In February 2015, Tubridy combined his long-running interests in children and cancer when he officially launched Galway's Hand in Hand support centre, which provides support and counselling services for parents of children with cancer.
Writing
For more than €100,000 HarperCollins signed Tubridy as part of a two-book deal. Tubridy's first book, the 302-page long JFK in Ireland, was launched at the Mansion House, Dublin on 27 October 2010. It is a profile of U.S. President John F. Kennedy's 1963 visit to Ireland. While researching the book, he discovered that Éamon de Valera had part of John F. Kennedy's speech to Dáil Éireann erased from the record after finding its content offensive. In March 2012, Tubridy, referred to as a "tabloid star", made his American television debut, during which he discussed his book, JFK in Ireland. Tubridy's second book, The Irish Are Coming, about the influence of Irish people in the UK, was published by William Collins in 2013.
A first book for children, Patrick and the President, was later published. In 2017, to coincide with the centenary of John F. Kennedy's birth, Tubridy read to children from the book at a tea party in County Wexford.
Tubridy co-wrote the title track, "We Are Where We Are", of Paddy Cullivan's extended play, released in October 2010. The writer and broadcaster commented: "Paddy is a pal and we would have conversations a lot over a pint of Guinness". He also sang a song on The Late Late Toy Show in 2010, becoming the first host to do such a thing.
Social media and other Internet issues
Tubridy has expressed his disdain for "anonymous cowards on the internet", those who operate "under the shadowy cover of names like Catman or Twenty Rothmans or whatever", and has stated that he believes Wikipedia is "a fact-free bull run for any passing eejit to come along and add whatever fact or fiction they desire and up it goes onto the site". He prefers books instead.
A former user of Twitter, where he amassed more than 60,000 followers, was described by the Irish Independent as "one of Ireland's most famous Twits". Tubridy left the social networking and microblogging service on 9 August 2011, posting a late night farewell to his followers: "Dear Twitter, this is my last tweet. It's been lots of fun but I must leave. No drama, just not enough time. Thanks and take care. #goodbye. The Tubridy Radio Show and Late Late Show will have well attended Twitter accounts as I leave this curious social medium."
In 2018, Tubridy said returning to a Nokia 3310 allowed him to instruct his daughters on "better smartphone etiquette". Speaking out against smartphones, Tubridy said he was "starting to treat phones in the house much like cigarettes were treated once upon a time. In other words, it's rude to smoke in front of somebody without asking permission, it's rude, it's not good for you to smoke that much - if at all - and it's unsociable if you're sitting on the couch and someone lights up... it's just rude and I hate that."
After a five-year break, he returned to social media and created an Instagram account.
Controversies
Issues around pay
2009 pay-cut refusal
In 2008, Tubridy was the RTÉ presenter on the fourth-highest salary, having received a 50% increase in his salary from the previous year.
Tubridy initially refused to take a pay-cut in early 2009 (even when colleagues such as Pat Kenny and Marian Finucane agreed to salary cuts), and he attracted criticism for this decision. Later, on 9 March 2009, Tubridy announced he would take a 10 per cent pay cut, stating that his legal situation had changed in recent days.
Reported earnings
It was reported in December 2018 that he earned €495,000 in 2016, suggesting that his earnings had not increased from the 2015 figure, and in January 2021 that Tubridy had earned €495,000 for each of the previous three years. It was further reported in February 2023 that Tubridy was still RTÉ's highest earner, with the figures given at that time indicating that Tubridy had been paid €466,250 in 2020 and €440,000 in 2021.
2023 pay revelations
It emerged publicly in June 2023 that the figures previously published relating to Tubridy's earnings were inaccurate and that he had been earning more than half a million all along, with a total discrepancy of €345,000; this had been supplied, at least in part, through a barter account, attracting substantial additional costs. with more than €80,000 more spent on fees associated with the transfer of €150,000 of that extra money. In a statement, Tubridy said he was "surprised" to learn about the "errors" and "can't shed any light" on hidden payments made to him by RTÉ. It was revealed the next day that the Director General of RTÉ Dee Forbes had been suspended from her employment by the RTÉ Board a day prior to the controversy and issued a statement defending her record. Tubridy then issued a second statement in which he sought to explain his position, apologising "wholeheartedly" for failing to ask questions. Forbes resigned from RTÉ with immediate effect on 26 June.
On 27 June, RTÉ's acting Director General Adrian Lynch issued a nine-page statement addressing the circumstances around the revelations, stating that there was "no finding of wrongdoing" against Tubridy or the commercial partner involved in what happened. Tubridy and his agent agreed to attend two Oireachtas committee meetings on 11 July, which heard that he had endured a "tortuous", "chaotic" and "destructive" three weeks during which his name and reputation were "sullied" and that he had become "the face of a national scandal; accused of being complicit, deceitful and dishonest". It was later confirmed that Tubridy would not return to his presenting role in RTÉ in the wake of the scandal.
Tubridy drove a BMW before he signed a two-year contract with Lexus in June 2003 "to drive an IS200 and to participate in a number of Lexus customer events and promotions" and mentioned in an interview with the Irish Independent in 2004 how he was enjoying its heated seats. Tubridy's involvement with Lexus ended when the company refused to provide him with a more expensive car, with Tubridy resuming his relationship with BMW. BMW said Tubridy had asked for a new flashier car, but confirmed that it had refused him this, as it came around the time BMW was concluding its "brand ambassadorship" policy.
Several years later, it was revealed that Tubridy had exchanged his BMW for a Jaguar XJ. To promote the 2014 Jaguar Golf Classic, Tubridy was pictured with rugby player Eoin Reddan in front of a Jaguar F-TYPE.
Castration call incident
In May 2011, the Broadcasting Authority of Ireland upheld a complaint against Tubridy who called a paedophile a "monster" and "creature" and added: "From what I gather these guys cannot be quote-unquote cured ... only one way to deal with them, and that's physiological ... these guys should have bits taken off."
Personal life
Tubridy lived for many years in Monkstown, Dublin, at one point in a €1 million+ refurbished Victorian end-of-terrace house which measured 240 square metres (2,600 square feet), which was put up for sale in 2015, when he described it as "too much" for him. One report in 2023 suggested that he might now live in Clontarf.
He has said British broadcaster Sir David Attenborough is one of his heroes; prior to interviewing him on Tubridy Tonight in March 2009, Tubridy said he "grew up watching his nature programmes". Among his favourite films are The Queen
Noted for interests ranging from U.S. politics, Inspector Morse box sets (the lead character of which he described as "the morose and melancholic opera lover who deals with an inordinate amount of bloodshed in Oxford"), "real turf, the John Hinde donkey post card kind" and buying out-of-print history books on Amazon.com—while appearing on Seoige and O'Shea in April 2008, Tubridy ranked his top three books of the previous year as The Road by Cormac McCarthy, Christine Falls by Benjamin Black and Exit Ghost by Philip Roth. He is fond of the humour of Gerry Ryan and the fictional character Ross O'Carroll-Kelly.
Before taking over as host of the Rose of Tralee in 2003, Tubridy admitted that he did not often make his own food, but that he was capable of frying onions and liked to buy adult portions of kiddies meals. They have two children, Ella and Julia.