IT WILL only be for a few weeks, and he’ll be sticking with his day job at RTÉ, but Ryan Tubridy is set to spend his Saturday mornings on the BBC. From the end of July, the broadcaster will present a show on BBC Radio 2, sitting in for another Irishman, Graham Norton, for at least eight weeks.
It is understood that the 37-year-old will present his 2fm radio show as normal but fly to London each Friday to present the Saturday three-hour show, which starts at 10am.
During some of these weeks, he will be on annual leave from RTÉ but will continue to work for the BBC.
It is the culmination of negotiations that began in 2010 when he was approached by the BBC about presenting the same slot – then belonging to Jonathan Ross – for 12 weeks last summer. Ross has since left the station and been replaced by Norton, who has three million listeners – more than three times greater than the Late Late Show'scurrent average audience of 800,000.
Professional commitments, including writing his book, JFK in Ireland, prevented Tubridy from taking the role last year. The BBC role will be the first step into the UK media for a presenter who has never hidden his ambition to work elsewhere should the right opportunity arise.
Tubridy was unavailable for comment yesterday, but on his radio show confirmed that while reports of a temporary move to the UK was “talk”, it was “real talk”.
However, he added that “I’m here and I love it and I’m really happy and I won’t be going anywhere today or tomorrow.”
On Twitter yesterday, he retweeted a joke by his brother Garrett: “Congratulations on the gig with the beeb. If you’re moving to London, can I take your car?”
An RTÉ statement said: "Ryan is looking forward to another season of ' The Late Late Show'in 2011/12 and continuing with his 2fm radio show. As you know, Ryan made reference to the matter on his radio show this morning.
“We have been aware for more than a year that the BBC has been and is very interested in Ryan. Given his calibre and talent as a broadcaster, this is unsurprising.”
Tubridy will follow in the footsteps of several Irish presenters who have worked at the BBC. Apart from Terry Wogan, whose BBC Radio 2 show brought in eight million listeners, previous Late Late Showhost Gay Byrne also worked at the British broadcaster during his early career.
Currently one of RTÉ’s highest earners and host of its flagship show, it would take something far greater than a temporary job at the BBC to take Tubridy away from the station.
However, he is believed to have been on the BBC’s radar since he presented his Saturday night chat show.
He has also developed a friendship with BBC Radio 2 breakfast show presenter Chris Evans.