“We appreciate that with this comes great responsibility,” the duo said in a statement.
RTÉ has confirmed that popular podcast and radio presenters The 2 Johnnies will be returning to RTÉ 2FM on Monday, 14 March.
The announcement comes after a video shared by the pair – Johnny Smacks and Johnny B – on social media sparked controversy last week.
Highlighted by Social Democrats TD Holly Cairns, the clip in question – which has since been removed from social media – featured several crude references to women and female genitalia, as the two hosts read aloud car stickers sent in from podcast listeners.
One example read: “She’s not a princess, she’s a slut.”
Following social media backlash, The 2 Johnnies issued a formal apology, with Johnny B later telling Liveline:
“We were not good enough in this instance and we’re learning and we will do better”.
He also said that the 2FM sticker at the end of the clip was put there by mistake and that the video had “nothing to do with 2FM”.
— The 2 Johnnies (@the2johnnies) February 24, 2022
Amid the controversy, RTÉ 2FM took the duo off air last Thursday, three days after the pair’s show Drive It with The 2 Johnnies began on the station.
Now, in a new statement, RTÉ says it has engaged intensively with The 2 Johnnies in respect of the breaches of its social media guidelines, the standards expected with RTÉ content and the “challenges of moving from an unregulated space into one where regulations apply”.
“We reviewed the content and found that our social media guidelines were breached,” Head of RTÉ 2FM Dan Healy said.
“We took this very seriously. So seriously that The 2 Johnnies were taken off air.
“They have apologised and we’ve been talking since about where we go from here.
“They are aware of the standards we expect and are absolutely committed to upholding them.
“We are looking forward to working with The 2 Johnnies as we work together to bring a fresh approach to drivetime.
“That’s the job they were taken on to do and the show we want to offer the audience.
“We’re going to continue working on this in advance of the show returning to air on Monday, 14 March.”
Meanwhile, the 2 Johnnies said that, after what they described as a “very intense week”, they are “extremely excited” to return to their daily drivetime show.
“We had a great welcome at 2FM last week and are eager to work with Dan and the 2FM family again, acknowledging the lessons we’ve learned and committing to put these into action,” the duo stated.
“Coming from a different environment, it is a privilege to get the chance to have a national conversation five days a week, and we appreciate that with this comes great responsibility and a lot is now expected of us.
“We are determined to create a successful radio show and work with everyone in 2FM to show the nation the best of us.
“We would like to thank 2FM for working through this with us”.
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