'I didn't negotiate on the money': Oliver Callan to take over 9am slot on RTÉ Radio 1

Oliver Callan

OLIVER CALLAN HAS been announced as the new presenter of the RTÉ Radio 1 9am weekday slot, replacing Ryan Tubridy who left the national broadcaster last year.

Callan has been one of many stand-ins over the last few months while a new host was chosen. Brendan Courtney was also suspected to be in the running.

Callan will officially take over the show on Monday, 29 January.

Speaking on the Brendan O’Connor Show this morning, Callan said he’s aware he’s “not the most experienced”, but he hopes the show will be “different” without “completely shocking” the existing audience.

“I’m a writer so I have loads of idea. I’m not sure the production team is going to like them when I say them … so I’ll try them out as we go.”

He said he is on a two-year contract, making €150,000 each year.

“I didn’t negotiate on the money … we’re in a whole new world,” he said.

“First post-new RTÉ contract, I suppose.”

The show will be called either The Oliver Callan Show or simply Oliver Callan.

“I would be nervous,” he said, “and that’s kind of the fun of it”.

RTÉ was plunged into crisis in June of last year when the State broadcaster revealed it under-declared fees to Tubridy, its then-highest-paid staff member.

The scandal widened as a series of other financial and governance issues emerged.

Tubridy returned to the airwaves earlier this month with his brand new show on Virgin Radio in the UK. He now spends most of his time in London, giving regular life updates on his show and his Instagram.

His radio deal also includes a new Irish weekend show that broadcasts across the Wireless Ireland radio group, which includes Q102, Cork’s 96FM, Limerick’s Live 95 and LMFM (broadcasting to counties Louth and Meath).

Callan said he was in touch with Tubridy when the scandal first broke, encouraging him to keep a diary of what Callan described as “the biggest pile on that anyone’s ever experienced”.

“I mean, paparazzi outside his house – you just don’t expect that in Ireland,” he said.

“I commiserated with him. He was quite grateful for that.

“I haven’t heard from him since, but that’s probably understandable.”