68 Facts About Ryan Tubridy

Ryan Tubridy was born on 28 May 1973 and is an Irish broadcaster.

Ryan Tubridy's broadcasting career with RTE spanned over two decades, where he presented many shows on radio and television, most notably The Late Late Show on RTE One from 2009 to 2023.

Ryan Tubridy hosted the Rose of Tralee contest on two occasions and worked for BBC Radio.

Ryan Tubridy was known as the highest-paid person at RTE over several years; related controversies included his 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.

Ryan Tubridy studied Greek and Latin, and was schooled alongside Craig Doyle and Ryle Nugent.

Ryan Tubridy studied for his Bachelor of Arts in history and Greek and Roman civilisation at University College Dublin.

Ryan Tubridy was a member of the Fianna Fail Kevin Barry Cumann, and involved with the Dun Laoghaire branch of Ogra Fianna Fail, as well as Belfield FM.

One of five children, Ryan Tubridy's siblings are Judith, Niall, Rachel and Garrett; he has two half-sisters from his father's second marriage.

Ryan Tubridy's father, Patrick Tubridy of Blackrock, who died in January 2013, was a psychiatrist, working at the St John of God campus in Stillorgan, and the only son of the Fianna Fail TD Sean Tubridy.

Ryan Tubridy's mother is Catherine, whose father, Todd Andrews, was a prominent associate of Fianna Fail founder Eamon de Valera and held a number of posts in semi-state companies.

Ryan Tubridy was influenced by the "nerd made good" style of British broadcaster Chris Evans.

In 2006, Ryan Tubridy began presenting The Ryan Tubridy Show, on weekday mornings on RTE Radio 1.

Ryan Tubridy later interviewed Said Obama, the uncle of US President Barack Obama for The Tubridy Show.

Ryan Tubridy hinted he would consider moving to new pastures if the opportunity arose.

However JNLR figures released in July 2011 revealed Ryan Tubridy had lost over 110,000 listeners since the move.

Tubridy returned to RTE Radio 1 in September 2015 to host The Ryan Tubridy Show, an hour-long weekday morning show.

Ryan 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.

At that time, Ryan Tubridy had never presented a live television programme.

Ryan Tubridy tried on a wedding outfit on fashion magazine show Off the Rails and appeared on The Panel.

Ryan Tubridy refused RTE's leading afternoon TV programme Open House, upon discovering that it required his services on Fridays only.

RTE was set on Derek Mooney, but festival organisers objected and Ryan Tubridy landed the role.

Ryan Tubridy presented the EsatBT Young Scientist and Technology Exhibition at the Royal Dublin Society, in 2003 and 2004.

Ryan Tubridy presented the RTE People in Need Telethon in 2004 and 2007.

Ryan Tubridy initially announced his intention to take over the hosting of The Late Late Show from Pat Kenny but he later stated that he would remain as host of Ryan Tubridy Tonight, describing it as his "Jim'll Fix It job" and "little fun-size legacy".

Ryan Tubridy 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.

Ryan 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".

On 16 March 2023, Ryan Tubridy announced that he would be stepping down as the presenter of The Late Late Show after 14 years.

Ryan Tubridy's last show was broadcast on 26 May at the end of the 2023 season.

Ryan Tubridy turned down the offer citing preparations for The Late Late Show and the recent death of Gerry Ryan.

Ryan Tubridy returned to the BBC in December 2011, this time as a replacement for Ken Bruce on Radio 2.

Ryan 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.

In November 2022, ahead of what turned out to be his last edition of the Toy Show, Ryan Tubridy visited St Finian's National School in Finglas, where he was reminded of the Toy Man effect.

Ryan Tubridy 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".

On 16 November 2023, it was announced that Ryan 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.

On 2 November 2011, Ryan Tubridy was MC and guest of honour for the launch of the Irish Film Archive Preservation Fund at the Irish Film Institute.

Ryan Tubridy has been associated with the Society of Saint Vincent de Paul Toy Appeal.

In February 2015, Ryan 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.

In March 2012, Ryan Tubridy, referred to as a "tabloid star", made his American television debut, during which he discussed his book, JFK in Ireland.

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.

Ryan Tubridy co-wrote the title track, "We Are Where We Are", of Paddy Cullivan's extended play, released in October 2010.

Ryan Tubridy sang a song on The Late Late Toy Show in 2010, becoming the first host to do such a thing.

The Ryan Tubridy Radio Show and Late Late Show will have well attended Twitter accounts as I leave this curious social medium.

In 2018, Ryan Tubridy said returning to a Nokia 3310 allowed him to instruct his daughters on "better smartphone etiquette".

Ryan Tubridy refused to take a pay-cut in early 2009, and he attracted criticism for this decision.

Later, on 9 March 2009, Ryan Tubridy announced he would take a 10 per cent pay cut, stating that his legal situation had changed in recent days.

Ryan Tubridy then issued a second statement in which he sought to explain his position, apologising "wholeheartedly" for failing to ask questions.

Ryan 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.

BMW said Ryan 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 Ryan Tubridy had exchanged his BMW for a Jaguar XJ.

In 2022, when the topic of electric cars was discussed on his radio show, Ryan Tubridy repeatedly stated: "I drive an old car, it's an '07, but it's a beautiful looking car".

Ryan Tubridy has claimed British broadcaster Sir David Attenborough as one of his heroes; prior to interviewing him on Tubridy Tonight in March 2009, Tubridy said he "grew up watching his nature programmes".

Ryan Tubridy is fond of the humour of Gerry Ryan and the fictional character Ross O'Carroll-Kelly.

Ryan Tubridy met his wife, the producer Anne Marie Power at RTE in 1997 when he spotted her in a recording studio.

Ryan Tubridy used to sashay down the corridor and I was quite taken by her.

Ryan Tubridy was very erudite and she made documentaries on flamenco.

Ryan Tubridy was much brighter than I am and continues to be, which isn't that hard really if you dig deep enough, and I asked her out.

Ryan Tubridy expressed his dissatisfaction when photos of the couple on a stroll at Powerscourt Waterfall were used by the press and was frustrated by subsequent claims that the photos were a publicity stunt.

Ryan Tubridy later told the Evening Herald that Ni Shuilleabhain was "great support" and had transformed his life.

In December 2014, Tubridy's agent Noel Kelly announced that he and Miss Ni Shuilleabhain had separated, saying "Aoibhinn and Ryan are no longer together".

In 2023, Ryan Tubridy was reported to be spending time with former Rose of Tralee winner, Clare Kambamettu.

On 30 March 2020, RTE announced that Ryan Tubridy had tested positive for COVID-19.

Dermot Whelan, Dave Moore and Siobhan O'Connor of radio station 98FM rewrote the Steps song "Tragedy" to include lyrics which make personal references to Ryan Tubridy before playing it on their morning radio show.

Ryan Tubridy said, "Uh absolutely" then tried to ask Ifans about his latest film.

Ryan Tubridy won the Best Irish DJ category at the 2004 Meteor Awards for his breakfast show, The Full Irish.

Ryan Tubridy was named Best Male TV Presenter at the TV Now Awards in 2009.

Ryan Tubridy collected the award for "Favourite Irish TV Show" from then girlfriend Aoibhinn Ni Shuilleabhain, won by The Late Late Show at the 2010 awards.

On 15 March 2023, Ryan Tubridy received the Guaranteed Irish Person of the Year Award for 2023, with the presenter described as having "long been a supporter of Guaranteed Irish" and highlighting "his continued championing of Irish business, support of Irish brands, and overall embodiment of the core values of Guaranteed Irish".

In May 2023, Ryan Tubridy was awarded the President's Medal by the Library Association of Ireland for his work promoting reading and libraries.