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Revision as of 01:33, 28 December 2011

Derek Mooney
Born
Derek James Mooney

(1967-03-04) 4 March 1967 (age 57)[1]
NationalityIrish
Occupation(s)Radio producer, broadcaster[2]
EmployerRaidió Teilifís Éireann (RTÉ)
Known forPresenting Mooney,
His trademark farewell[3]

Derek James Mooney (born 4 March 1967) is an Irish radio and television presenter, as well as a radio producer. He currently presents a weekday afternoon programme called Mooney on RTÉ Radio 1.

On television he often presents game shows and talent contests: his presentation credits include Echo Island, Winning Streak, You're a Star, The Big Money Game, Fame: The Musical and The Genealogy Roadshow. He is often seen around Europe announcing the points for Ireland in the Eurovision Song Contest, and is recognised by Graham Norton on the BBC. Mooney is known for his trademark of staring wide-eyed and open-mouthed into the camera at viewers while waving frantically and screeching "BYEEEE!" as loud as he can.[6][3]

He writes opinion pieces for the Evening Herald.[7][8][9]

Career

Mooney is one of Ireland's best-known television personalities and is one of Ireland's most prolific broadcasters in the area of natural history. He idolised Gay Byrne as a kid.[2][10] His first job in RTÉ was during the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles when he acted as a runner, working through the night.[2]

He has presented Habitats, The Nature Line, Nature Trails, all for RTÉ Radio 1. The following month[when?] Mooney won a second award - the ESB Millennium Environment Award - for the best item during the year on the environment in print, radio or television. His television shows on the natural history world include on RTÉ and Nature Detectives for the BBC.[11]

First broadcast in 1995, Mooney is a radio programme on RTÉ Radio 1. It was originally nature and wildlife, but recently has changed to general chat and discussion.[12] It was previously a weekend show on RTÉ Radio 1 but was moved to a two-hour weekday slot on RTÉ Radio 1 in 2006.[13]

The presenter's other television credits include being a co-presenter of RTÉ children's television shows Echo Island. Following the retirement of Mike Murphy in 2002 he became the presenter of the hugely popular Winning Streak, a Saturday night game show but was temporarily replaced by Laura Woods while he presented You're a Star. In 2004, he was nominated for the Television Personality of the Year Award at the Irish Film and Television Awards.[14] In addition to all of this Mooney has also presented and produced RTÉ's Liveline, as well as various religious and daily magazine programmes.[15]

It was announced in July 2008 that Derek Mooney was to step down as presenter of Winning Streak after eight years.[3] RTÉ relaunched the programme as Winning Streak: Dream Ticket in the autumn of 2008 with new presenters, Aidan Power and Kathryn Thomas, with new games and a new fresh feel to the show.[16]

In 2008, Mooney hosted the Lotto's first Millionaire Raffle draw during a break in the Rose of Tralee. There was subsequently a major controversy and a National Lottery spokesperson was attacked over the manner in which the draw was conducted, i.e. not live, plus the coincidence that one of the new millionaires was from Tralee.[17]

Mooney was the second host of the game show, The Big Money Game, announced in the Summer of 2009.[18] That year, he offered to take a ten per cent pay cut during these difficult recessionary times, drawing praise and admiration from some quarters.[19]

In 2010 he presented Fame: The Musical, an RTÉ reality talent competition.

In 2011 he presented The Genealogy Roadshow.[20] He dressed up as a leprechaun to beat a world record set by American talk show host Jay Leno.[21][22][23] People came from Italy, Poland and Romania to participate.[24] He is to host Mooney Tunes for RTÉ over Christmas 2011, an obvious pun on the similarity between the presenter's name and the word "Looney" as used in Looney Tunes, the Warner Bros. animated cartoon series.[25]

Mooney announced the points given by Ireland to other nations in the Eurovision Song Contest in 2009, 2010 and 2011, just as he had previously done in 2000.[11] He has become directly associated with this role in Irish life.[26]

Style

In interviews I don't ask anybody anything too personal. I wouldn't like to think I would leave somebody in a situation where their whole life is destroyed because of something stupid I had said, or by me putting them on the spot.

Mooney on himself[2]

Personal life

Mooney is an avid nature lover. Originally from Donnybrook, he is unmarried and resides in Kilmacud, South Dublin.[2][10] His brother David died aged 42.[2] He has nephews and nieces but would prefer not to have children of his own, though he has confessed that he "might marry a woman yet".[10] In interviews he lists his hobbies as travel, cinema, going to the gym and socialising in The George and The Dragon bars.[2][10] He exercises in the gym because of his 6.2 cholesterol level.[2]

Health

Mooney has constant incurable tinnitus in his left ear, stemming from when he had a wet shave where "some kind of electronic device for massaging your face afterwards" was used on him. He felt a vibration jolt through his jawbone. Then there was "the 'zzzz' sound and it never leaving me". Because of this he leaves a television or radio switched on at night. He sleeps for four hours.[2]

References

  1. ^ Derek Mooney et al. (4 March 2010). "Mooney 4 March 2010" (Radio broadcast). Donnybrook, Dublin: RTÉ Radio 1. At the end of the programme the panel on the programme began to sing "Happy Birthday to You" to Mooney {{cite AV media}}: |access-date= requires |url= (help); Explicit use of et al. in: |authors= (help)
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i Dwyer, Ciara (18 April 2010). "Waking hours: Derek Mooney". Sunday Independent. Retrieved 18 April 2010.
  3. ^ a b c Neville, Sarah (8 July 2008). "Winning Streak is over for Mooney". Evening Herald. Retrieved 8 July 2008. The daytime radio host has been leading contestants through the various money winning games on the lottery show for eight years. He has built up a following for his bubbly style and trademark sign off "Byeeeee".
  4. ^ Finn, Melanie (10 July 2008). "New Frontiers: Kathyrn is tipped to be host of Winning streak". Evening Herald. Retrieved 10 July 2008. Derek Mooney who has presented the programme for the past eight years has confirmed this week that he will not be presenting the show when it resumes filming for the new season. Putting on a brave face to the surprise news, he said it was "not a big deal" and is looking forward to filming TV talent show Class Act. One of RTE's highest-paid presenters, the broadcaster took home a tidy €242,408 in 2006.
  5. ^ "Pat Kenny highest paid RTÉ presenter in 2009". RTÉ. 11 November 2011. Retrieved 11 November 2011.
  6. ^ Harkin, Darragh (29 October 2011). "13 people who could have starred in a horror movie..." JOE. Retrieved 29 October 2011.
  7. ^ Mooney, Derek (1 August 2011). "Quick quips will not get you out of this mess, senator". Evening Herald. Retrieved 1 August 2011.
  8. ^ Mooney, Derek (10 June 2011). "I am amazed at this weak defence from Team Norris". Evening Herald. Retrieved 10 June 2011.
  9. ^ Mooney, Derek (7 July 2011). "Man overboard as 'Capt Birdseye' Reilly caught in storm of his own making". Evening Herald. Retrieved 7 July 2011.
  10. ^ a b c d Sheehy, Clodagh (28 May 2010). "I might marry a woman yet, hints Mooney". Evening Herald. Retrieved 28 May 2010.
  11. ^ a b "Ireland: Derek Mooney to announce Irish points". ESC Today. Retrieved 8 June 2009.
  12. ^ "Mooney: RTÉ Radio". RTÉ. Retrieved 5 June 2009.
  13. ^ Sheehan, Maeve (9 July 2006). "RTE Radio 1 mops up blood on the floor after biggest shake-up in years". Sunday Independent. Retrieved 9 July 2006.
  14. ^ "RTÉ's Mooney nominated for TV award". RTÉ. 25 August 2004. Retrieved 25 August 2004.
  15. ^ "Natural Born Presenter". Village. 2006. Retrieved 8 June 2009. [dead link]
  16. ^ "Presenter to leave popular RTÉ show". The Irish News. Retrieved 8 June 2009.
  17. ^ Walsh, Anne-Marie (28 August 2008). "Fury over Millionaire Raffle as punters call for live draw". Irish Independent. Retrieved 28 August 2008.
  18. ^ "RTÉ Television to keep viewers entertained throughout the summer". RTÉ. 4 June 2009. Retrieved 8 June 2009.
  19. ^ Corcoran, Jody (1 February 2009). "Who else would even dream of paying them this much?". Sunday Independent. Retrieved 1 February 2009.
  20. ^ "Big Mountain Filming 'Genealogy Roadshow', Derek Mooney Hosts". IFTN. 26 May 2011. Retrieved 26 May 2011.
  21. ^ "Mooney takes on Leno's leprechauns". RTÉ. 29 September 2011. Retrieved 29 September 2011.
  22. ^ "More on Mooney's record bid". RTÉ. 30 September 2011. Retrieved 30 September 2011.
  23. ^ "Mooney counts down to Leprechaun challenge". RTÉ. 15 November 2011. Retrieved 15 November 2011.
  24. ^ "Mooney show breaks Leno's world record". RTÉ. 16 November 2011. Retrieved 16 November 2011.
  25. ^ "RTÉ announces Christmas highlights". RTÉ. 28 November 2011. Retrieved 28 November 2011.
  26. ^ Kelly, Fiach (26 May 2011). "Noonan backs Lagarde for IMF job". Irish Independent. Retrieved 26 May 2011. LAGARDE -- douze points! Finance Minister Michael Noonan assumed Derek Mooney's 'Eurovision' role yesterday when he all but gave Ireland's highest marks to his French counterpart Christine Lagarde for the top job at the IMF.

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