52 Facts About Gerry Ryan

Gerard Ryan was an Irish presenter of radio and television employed by Raidio Teilifis Eireann.

Gerry Ryan presented The Gerry Ryan Show on radio station RTE 2fm each weekday morning from 1988 until hours before his sudden death.

Gerry Ryan was presented with a Jacob's Award for this show in 1990.

Gerry Ryan was noted for co-presenting, with Cynthia Ni Mhurchu, Eurovision Song Contest 1994 and, in 2008, presenting an edition of The Late Late Show, television's longest-running chat show, in place of the then regular host Pat Kenny.

An autobiography, Would the Real Gerry Ryan Please Stand Up, was published in October 2008.

Gerry Ryan married Morah Brennan in 1988 and they had five children: Lottie, Rex, Bonnie, Elliott and Babette.

Gerry Ryan soon began a relationship with the former South African Ambassador to Ireland and the then UNICEF Ireland executive director, Melanie Verwoerd.

Gerry Ryan was found dead in his Dublin home on 30 April 2010.

Gerry Ryan described his father, Vinnie, as a "slightly eccentric" dentist from a Presbyterian background and his mother, Maureen, as "a flamboyant woman" who came from a theatrical background and worked in the theatre.

Gerry Ryan was educated at St Paul's College, Raheny, and later studied Law at Trinity College Dublin.

Gerry Ryan then moved to a night-time music show called 'Lights out' which accompanied Mark Cagney's grown-up album programme and Dave Fanning's The Rock Show as part of Radio 2's night-time line-up.

Gerry Ryan said they dressed as if they were in a band and behaved as such as well, booking into "awful hotels", drinking heavily and staying out late in "dodgy nightclubs".

The trio started to put on live shows, some of which Gerry Ryan described as being attended by crowds of 20,000.

Gerry Ryan claimed to have killed and eaten a lamb to survive, earning him the nickname "Lambo", though the story turned out to be a hoax.

Gerry Ryan's style was considered by some to be that of a motor-mouth shock jock.

The Gerry Ryan Show, began in March 1988 when he was offered a three-hour morning radio slot.

Since then The Gerry Ryan Show became something of a national institution as the oldest show still running on 2fm.

An embarrassed Gerry Ryan informed his listeners: "This is my wife talking".

In 2004, Gerry Ryan caused uproar when he cancelled an interview with the Taoiseach of the time, Bertie Ahern at very short notice.

British broadcaster Chris Evans credited The Gerry Ryan Show with inspiring him to return to radio broadcasting after a long absence while on a holiday in Killarney.

Gerry Ryan hosted several series of television shows during his career.

Gerry Ryan hosted School Around the Corner from 1990 to 1994.

Gerry Ryan did co-present the 1994 Eurovision Song Contest alongside Cynthia Ni Mhurchu where he had the honour of introducing Riverdance as the interval act.

Gerry Ryan turned it down, a decision he later admitted regretting.

Ni Mhurchu later credited Gerry Ryan with telling her to not take herself too seriously.

Gerry Ryan described Ryantown as "the worst television experience I've ever had in my entire life", with producer Julie Parsons nearly having a nervous breakdown, according to Ryan.

Gerry Ryan unsuccessfully pleaded with RTE to cancel midway through the series.

Gerry Ryan Tonight was a chat show that aired two nights per week.

Gerry Ryan describes it as "no less traumatic" as it nearly cost him his close personal friendship with the producer Ferdia McAnna.

Gerry Ryan was touted to be the successor to Gay Byrne following his departure from The Late Late Show.

Gerry Ryan is noted for presenting The Late Late Show on 24 October 2008 when regular presenter Pat Kenny became bereaved.

In positive notices unusual as per his television career, Gerry Ryan received praise for his guest role, even coping well with the traditionally difficult comedian Tommy Tiernan whose appearances on the show with Kenny led to complaints.

The Evening Herald reported that when Tonight with Craig Doyle finished, Gerry Ryan was set to present a chat show in autumn 2010.

Would the Real Gerry Ryan Please Stand Up was released to Irish readers on 16 October 2008.

Gerry Ryan said that just before this he came very close to signing a deal with Denis O'Brien to present a daytime programme on Newstalk which was about to go national.

Gerry Ryan was offered several millions more than RTE were offering him.

Gerry Ryan considered the deal, thinking of how one of his best friends Willie O'Reilly was head of sister station Today FM and was heavily involved with the other stations.

However negotiations fell apart as Gerry Ryan cautioned on how delicate the situation was, with RTE looking at his contract and deciding if he was of value to them any more.

O'Brien allegedly disappeared and Gerry Ryan was told he was out of coverage.

O'Brien did eventually return but Gerry Ryan had already signed the RTE contract.

Gerry Ryan was not technically a member of RTE staff but was paid through a separate company, enabling Ryan and RTE to avoid paying as much tax on his salary.

Gerry Ryan was married for 26 years to his wife Morah, with whom he had five children, including Lottie.

Gerry Ryan helped her future husband put the music together and carry the equipment.

Gerry Ryan obtained a mortgage by lying about his salary and bought a little house in Marino.

In March 2008, Gerry Ryan announced he and Morah were separating and called the separation "a very painful experience".

Gerry Ryan spent several days on a drip in hospital in 2006 due to dehydration after contracting the winter vomiting bug.

Gerry Ryan underwent a much-publicised vasectomy which resulted in an infected wound.

Gerry Ryan was battling a weight problem for several years and had been taking Reductil, a "slimming pill", which he said was effective and safe.

Gerry Ryan conceded in his autobiography that he drank too much for his own good.

Shortly after midday on 30 April 2010, Gerry Ryan was found dead in the bedroom of his home on Leeson Street, Dublin.

Gerry Ryan's death came sixteen years to the day after he hosted Eurovision 1994.

An inquest showed that the cause of death was cardiac arrhythmia and that traces of cocaine found in Gerry Ryan's system were the "likely trigger" of Gerry Ryan's death.