Major update on Joe Duffy’s Liveline replacement after Claire Byrne’s shock exit from RTÉ Radio 1 | Goss.ie
Flor Lynch
Claire Byrne’s unexpected move to Newstalk has left RTÉ scrambling to adjust its Radio 1 lineup, particularly when it comes to filling the Liveline slot.
The broadcaster confirmed that Joe Duffy’s successor will be announced “in the coming weeks” as part of a broader shake-up of Radio 1’s programming.
According to an RTÉ source, Claire’s departure from the station means Joe’s replacement “has to be a woman”.
“There can’t be another man in a flagship slot on Radio 1, purely for gender balance,” the insider told the Irish Independent.
“It can’t just be a string of white, male, middle-aged presenters. Joe’s replacement has to be a woman, which is certainly great news for one female broadcaster.”
RTÉ moved quickly to reveal Claire’s successor as David McCullagh last Friday, just hours after Pat Kenny told Newstalk listeners that he would switch to a weekend slot next spring.
That change also raises uncertainty about Anton Savage’s programme, with Newstalk saying details are still “being worked out.”
When it comes to Liveline, the station trialled various presenters over the summer and ran an expressions-of-interest process across its news and current affairs division.
Still, the balance of the weekday schedule tilts heavily male, with McCullagh taking over Today after Oliver Callan’s show, and Ray D’Arcy following in the afternoon.
That makes a female host for Liveline all the more likely, in keeping with the slot’s origins under Marian Finucane.
Katie Hannon is seen as a strong contender, having covered for Joe several times in the past year.
But Drivetime’s Sarah McInerney has also emerged as a frontrunner.
She and co-host Cormac Ó hEadhra both stepped in to guest-present Liveline during the summer.
Similar to Claire, Sarah arrived at RTÉ from the commercial sector, with a background in print and a spell at Newstalk.
Her career has spanned roles from social diarist to political reporter.
Picture: Brian McEvoy
Sources have also indicated that RTÉ may look beyond its own ranks – namely Newstalk’s Kieran Cuddihy and Claire Brock, who drew praise while guest-hosting Drivetime over the summer.
However, Kieran has insisted he has no plans to move from Newstalk, telling the Irish Independent he is “perfectly happy where I am”.
Speaking about Claire joining Newstalk, he added: “I wish I could say I knew in advance, but it actually really blindsided me, as did the Pat news.
“I was on the way into work when he announced it and by the time I got into work, Claire Byrne had been announced as his replacement, so it was all just mad.”