Ryan Tubridy gets emotional as he rails against cancel culture during extraordinary hearings

"It’s hard to leave the house if you really want me to be honest about it."

The Public Accounts Committee meeting today has already had some compelling exchanges as Ryan Tubridy and his agent Noel Kelly meet with committee representatives. In the latest interesting quip from Tubridy, who came out swinging this morning with his opening statement addressing various "untruths" circulating around the scandal, the former Late Late Show presenter has claimed he has been "cancelled" since the payments issue and subsequent controversy arose. https://twitter.com/JOEdotie/status/1678726486545539072

Ryan Tubridy says he has been 'cancelled' amid payments controversy.

"I'd like to add, people have families," said Tubridy. "You're a public representative, you know what it means when you're in the middle of something, I get that. This is my first rodeo being in the public eye, but I've never seen anything like it. I don't know if any of you have been cancelled before, but let me tell you, you don't want to be there.

"This isn't my first rodeo being in the public eye, but I have never seen anything like it.

"I don't know if any of you have been cancelled before but, let me tell you, we don't want to be there" pic.twitter.com/xdQff9jswp — JOE.ie (@JOEdotie) July 11, 2023

Tubridy made the statement as Kelly mentioned the "horrendous reporting" around the ongoing scandal. The agent reiterated that he and Tubridy asked to meet with the Oireachtas committee to provide further light on matters. “We weren’t invited, we asked. And we saw over the last three weeks, I’ve never seen such horrendous, horrendous reporting. “And why? Suddenly the most trusted man in Ireland, Ryan Tubridy, it was like ‘throw him under a bus’. Why?” Tubridy added: "My name has been desperately sullied, I think my reputation has been sullied.

"I’m deeply upset. I’m hurt. It’s hard to leave the house if you really want me to be honest about it.

"For what? I’ve spent three weeks watching people telling stories. I’m not looking for sympathy or violin."

Responding to a question about the children of Ireland wondering why the Late Late Toy Show host was on the TV so much lately, Tubridy said: "My relationship with the children of Ireland is so important to me. I know that sounds grandiose, but actually it is.

"I want them to be happy and hopeful and proud to be Irish and read lots of books and just be wonderful young people. That doesn’t change, but what’s happened the last three weeks – it’s a frenzy."

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• Ryan Tubridy reportedly looking at UK move amid payments scandal