The former RTE host is the marquee name as UTV Ireland releases the first look at its brand new schedule…
Former Late Late Show and Frontline host Pat Kenny will be hosting his own flagship show on UTV Ireland from early next year according to the newly launched channel.
UTV Ireland unveiled their new schedule this afternoon and the acquisition of Newstalk presenter Kenny was arguably the biggest piece of news that emerged. Kenny departed RTE in late July of last year and he will bring almost 30 years of on-air presenting experience to Ireland’s newest TV station.
Just one more thing, we’re very pleased to announce that Pat Kenny will be joining the #UTVIreland presenting team.
— UTV Ireland (@UTVIreland) August 19, 2014
Equally as impressive is the news that Cork’s own chatshow king, Graham Norton, will be bringing his show to the new station. UTV Ireland can now boast that they are home to Norton and also Jonathan Ross. Two of the best interviewers on the same station, it’s certainly hard not to be impressed with this coup.
The TV station have already got their hands on Coronation Street and Emmerdale but it has now emerged that they have also bought the rights to I’m A Celebrity, The Jeremy Kyle Show and Ant & Dec’s Saturday Night Takeaway.
Irish local news and current affairs will be covered by a 30 minute round up show named Ireland Live with an emphasis on sports on Fridays. The same show will have an hour long night-time news show broadcast at 10 O’Clock with a focus on debate and reaction on the day’s topical issues.
Speaking at the launch, UTV Ireland Managing Director Michael Wilson said the new station has ambitions to become number one in the Republic of Ireland and that more shows will be announced in the coming weeks including more acquired programmes as well as some home grown lifestyle, reality and entertainment content.
It was also revealed that the new station will have their own online catchup service with the launch of a UTV Player.
UTV Ireland will launch in January 2015.
All information and image via UTV Ireland Twitter feed.
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