Noel Kelly will not be involved with discussions.
RTÉ director general Kevin Bakhurst says he will contact Ryan Tubridy within the next week to discuss the presenter’s future with the national broadcaster.
Several long conversations will be had with the former Late Late Show presenter, however the discussions will not involve his agent, Noel Kelly.
Speaking to The Irish Times, Bakhurst said: “We can’t stop someone using an agent at the right point, but I can choose with whom I have conversations.”
The director general said both himself and Tubridy will be taking time off at the end of July, with the presenter going on holiday, and wants a decision made before then.
The difficulties of the decision are not lost on the RTÉ boss, as he notes the differences of opinions from the Irish public and within the national broadcaster.
“I know from my email inbox that the opinions are divided out there. There is the number of emails I get saying, ‘Bring Back Ryan, why is he not back on air?’. I get the same number saying that Ryan has done terrible things,” said Bakhurst.
“So these are the kinds of decisions you are never going to get 100 per cent support for but in the end, I’ve got to make the right, fair and correct decision I think for audiences, for RTÉ and for Ryan and I want to treat Ryan fairly. And I think in the end, all I can do is make the decision and explain the basis we take that on.”
Ryan Tubridy expected to be cleared of wrongdoing.
Ryan Tubridy is also expected to be cleared of any wrongdoing in a critical report on the understatement of 120k on his salary over a three year period.
According to the Irish Independent, RTÉ bosses have admitted that the €120,000 understatement of the presenter’s earnings from 2017 to 2019 was a “mistake”, an “error” and “inaccuracies”.
The news comes after an extraordinary week, which saw the former Late Late host defend himself in front of the Oireachtas committee on Tuesday.
Related articles:
- Maia Dunphy says Ryan Tubridy told her his Late Late Show exit plans
- The 7 key points Ryan Tubridy and agent will be questioned over
- New RTÉ Director General confirms Ryan Tubridy still being paid, but doesn’t know how much
- Marty Morrissey to stand in for Ryan Tubridy despite car loan revelation
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