RTE denies Duffy set for rival station

RTÉ has denied that Liveline presenter Joe Duffy is to move to rival radio station NewsTalk 106.

RTÉ has denied that Liveline presenter Joe Duffy is to move to rival radio station NewsTalk 106.

The State broadcaster was responding to media reports that speculated Duffy would leave in the coming months.

NewsTalk, currently broadcast in Dublin, was recently awarded a licence to extend its reach to 80 per cent of the country.

In a statement issued yesterday, RTÉ said: "RTÉ Radio 1 Liveline presenter Joe Duffy is pleased to confirm . . . that, contrary to recent speculation, his future is with RTÉ and he looks forward to returning to present RTÉ Radio 1's Liveline this autumn."

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A spokeswoman for RTÉ Radio said Duffy will return to Liveline after his summer break, on September 4th. The presenter told The Irish Times in June that he could neither confirm nor deny reports that he had been offered €600,000 to move to NewsTalk, adding that he was "very happy" at RTÉ.

NewsTalk was reported to be seeking a high-profile presenter to lead the imminent expansion of its coverage.

Its previous best-known broadcaster, Eamon Dunphy, announced last June that he was to leave the station after two years presenting its flagship breakfast programme.

According to figures released by RTÉ last June, Joe Duffy was paid a total of €279,149 in 2004.