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Claire Byrne

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Claire Byrne
Byrne in 2015
Born (1975-08-11) 11 August 1975 (age 49)
Mountrath, County Laois, Ireland
Alma mater
Occupations
Years active1998–present
EmployerRTÉ
AgentNoel Kelly[1][2]
Notable credit(s)TV3 News
The Daily Show
Prime Time
Claire Byrne Live
Spouse(s)Richard Johnson
(m. 2003; div. 2006)
Gerry Scollan
(m. 2016)
Children3

Claire Byrne (born 11 August 1975) is an Irish radio and television presenter.

Byrne presented The Daily Show from September 2010 to March 2012.[3] In 2013, she became an anchor on RTÉ's flagship current affairs programme Prime Time. From January 2015 until May 2022, she hosted her own self-titled weekly current affairs television programme, Claire Byrne Live. In August 2020, she took over the hosting of the Today with ... programme, presenting it as Today with Claire Byrne on RTÉ Radio 1.[4]

Early life

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Byrne is the daughter of Tom and Breda Byrne. She grew up on the family farm in County Laois, and was educated locally at the Brigidine Convent in Mountrath. She later studied Politics, Sociology and Social Science at University College Dublin, but did not complete the course. She subsequently attended the Rathmines College of Further Education where she studied journalism.[5]

Career

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Byrne is a client of self-styled "agent to the stars" Noel Kelly of NK Management.[2][6]

Byrne began her broadcasting career with East Coast Radio and worked with BBC Radio in the Channel Islands, before becoming news editor with Channel 103 in Jersey. She returned to Ireland shortly afterwards to take up her first television job as a reporter on the fledgling TV3.

Byrne left after just one year to work as London news anchor with Channel 5 and later with ITV News, but was lured back to TV3 to present the station's breakfast show Ireland AM.[7] In 2004, she replaced Gráinne Seoige as the main female presenter of the TV3 News at 5.30.[8]

Byrne joined the independent Irish radio station Newstalk in 2006, amid a high-profile legal case with her former employer TV3, which went to court to stop the news anchor broadcasting on Newstalk's breakfast slot. She presented the show with Ger Gilroy, with Ivan Yates taking over as co-presenter in 2009.[9]

In 2010, Byrne presented her last breakfast show with Newstalk before moving to RTÉ where she co-presented, until March 2012, The Daily Show with Daithí Ó Sé.[10]

Byrne at RTÉ's winter season launch in 2015

In a major shake up of news broadcasts on RTÉ in early 2013, Byrne joined the current affairs programme Prime Time as an anchor alongside Miriam O'Callaghan and Pat Kenny.[11]

In November 2014, it was announced that she would have her own current affairs show, Claire Byrne Live, which would be broadcast on RTÉ One from January 2015.[12][13]

In August 2020 Byrne took over as presenter of the re-titled Today with Claire Byrne, which had been known as Today with Sarah McInerney for the summer, after the retirement of Sean O'Rourke.[4]

In February 2022, an episode of Claire Byrne Live aired entitled 'The Rise of Sinn Féin' which featured several guests explaining why they would or would not vote for Sinn Féin. The episode was subject to criticism for alleged bias against the party, the credibility of the responses, and questions raised about RTÉ's responsibilities as a public broadcaster.[14][15][16][17][18]

In May 2022, it was announced that Claire Byrne Live would end, and its final episode would air on 30 May 2022.[19]

In April 2023, Byrne began hosting Ireland's Smartest, a quiz show developed by RTÉ.[citation needed]

Byrne was tipped to become host of The Late Late Show when fellow NK Management client Ryan Tubridy announced his departure; Bryne, however, ruled herself out in May 2023.[20]

Personal life

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Byrne was previously married to radio executive Richard Johnson. The marriage ended in 2006. In 2013, she became engaged to business consultant Gerry Scollan.[21] In 2016, Byrne married Scollan at a ceremony in Dublin attended by close friends and family.[22] She has three children, a boy born in 2013, and two girls, born in 2014 and 2017 respectively.[23][24][25]

In January 2015, she said in an interview that due to financial commitments she could not afford to be a stay at home mum for her children.[26]

On 23 March 2020, Byrne announced that she had tested positive for COVID-19.[27][28] She returned to filming Claire Byrne Live in the RTÉ 1 studio on 6 April 2020.[29] Her garden shed, from which she presented in 2020, became the focus of attention again on 4 April 2022 when Byrne tested positive for COVID-19 for a second time and presented both her radio and television programme from the shed.[30]

References

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  1. ^ Meagher, John (20 November 2011). "Why RTE stars call Noel Kelly 'The Godfather': He is agent to the big names and he negotiated their huge salaries. Who is he -- and how did he become so powerful?". Sunday Independent.
  2. ^ a b Keena, Colm (1 July 2023). "Noel Kelly: Who is the behind-the-scenes agent, seen as RTÉ's 'real director general'? Dublin talent agent, who played a key role in funneling hidden payments to Ryan Tubridy, was considered more powerful than broadcaster's own director general". The Irish Times. Kelly is a successful agent, working with broadcasters such as Claire Byrne, Joe Duffy, Pat Kenny, Ivan Yates, Matt Cooper, Caitríona Perry, Carl Mullan, Cormac O'hEadhra and Ciara Kelly, as well as Tubridy, as part of his agency, NK Management.
  3. ^ "Claire Byrne". The Daily Show. Raidió Teilifís Éireann. 21 September 2010. Retrieved 19 December 2011.
  4. ^ a b Slattery, Laura. "Claire Byrne announced as new host of RTÉ Radio 1 Today programme". The Irish Times. Retrieved 24 August 2020.
  5. ^ "Making the news". Irish Farmers Journal. 28 March 2009. Archived from the original on 2 August 2012. Retrieved 19 December 2011.
  6. ^ Deegan, Gordon (31 January 2023). "Agent to the stars Noel Kelly sees profits more than double in 2022: Accumulated profits at NK Management — whose clients include Ryan Tubridy, Pat Kenny, Dermot Bannon and Claire Byrne — push past €900,000". The Irish Times. Retrieved 31 January 2023.
  7. ^ "Anchors ahoy". Irish Independent. Independent News & Media. 4 August 2010. Retrieved 19 December 2011.
  8. ^ "Claire Byrne Appointed News Anchor for TV3". Irish Film and Television Network. IFTN. 3 March 2004. Retrieved 15 January 2011.
  9. ^ "LEAVING NEWSTALK: On her last day behind the mic, Claire Byrne looks back". Evening Herald. Independent News & Media. 27 August 2010. Retrieved 19 December 2011.
  10. ^ "I'll miss Newstalk pals, says Claire". Irish Independent. Independent News & Media. 24 August 2010. Retrieved 19 December 2011.
  11. ^ "George Lee and Claire Byrne among RTE big names securing prominent new roles". Irish Independent.
  12. ^ "Going solo – Claire Byrne gets her own RTÉ show in prime slot". evoke.ie. 12 November 2014. Archived from the original on 18 February 2015.
  13. ^ Larkin, Laura Claire Byrne's joy as show gets prime-time slot Independent.ie. 27 February 2015
  14. ^ "Sinn Fein leader Mary Lou McDonald has just five words for RTE after Claire Byrne Live show". irishmirror.ie. 15 February 2022.
  15. ^ "RTÉ isn't ready for the rise of the Sinn Féin generation". The Currency. 19 February 2022. Retrieved 28 May 2022.
  16. ^ Hynes, Robert (16 February 2022). "Joe Brolly takes aim at RTE over controversial Claire Byrne show on Sinn Fein". Irish Mirror. Retrieved 28 May 2022.
  17. ^ Chonghaile, Clár Ní (24 February 2022). "Sinn Féin's borderless ambition". The New European. Retrieved 28 May 2022.
  18. ^ McCarthy, Mark Tighe, Justine. "Sinn Fein suits press down hard against the media". The Times. ISSN 0140-0460. Retrieved 28 May 2022.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  19. ^ "Claire Byrne Live to end on Monday after seven years". 27 May 2022.
  20. ^ McCarron, Jamie (4 May 2023). "Claire Byrne pulls out of running to become new Late Late host". TheJournal.ie. Retrieved 12 May 2023.
  21. ^ "Byrne 'happy and excited' over engagement". RTÉ. 14 March 2013. Archived from the original on 15 March 2013. Retrieved 16 March 2013.
  22. ^ "Claire Byrne ties the knot with partner Gerry Scollan". RTÉ. 25 June 2016. Retrieved 23 March 2020.
  23. ^ "Baby Jane! Baby girl for RTE presenter Claire Byrne as Prime Time host says she's 'thrilled and exhausted'". evoke.ie. 5 October 2014. Archived from the original on 18 February 2015.
  24. ^ "It's a girl! RTE star Claire Byrne welcomes second baby with fiance Gerry Scollan". Goss.ie. 5 October 2014. Archived from the original on 20 January 2015. Retrieved 20 January 2015.
  25. ^ "Baby joy for Claire Byrne as she welcomes third child". RTÉ. 18 July 2017. Retrieved 23 March 2020.
  26. ^ "'I could never be a stay-at-home mother': says RTE's Claire Byrne". evoke.ie. 26 January 2015. Archived from the original on 18 February 2015.
  27. ^ "RTÉ broadcaster Claire Byrne confirms she tested positive for Covid-19". RTÉ. 23 March 2020. Retrieved 23 March 2020.
  28. ^ Murray, Sean (23 March 2020). "RTÉ presenter Claire Byrne has tested positive for Covid-19". TheJournal.ie. Retrieved 23 March 2020.
  29. ^ Concannon, Claire (6 April 2020). "Back from the shed! Claire Byrne's returns to RTÉ Studio". evoke.ie. Retrieved 7 April 2020.
  30. ^ Moloney, Eoghan (4 April 2022). "RTÉ's Claire Byrne returns to her garden shed after contracting Covid-19 for a second time". Irish Independent. Retrieved 4 April 2022. RTÉ's Claire Byrne returned to her shed to present her live television show tonight after contracting Covid-19 for a second time. The presenter is understood to be well despite developing some symptoms over the weekend... She also presented the Today with Claire Byrne radio programme from home this morning. Opening her television show tonight, she said: 'I'm back here again'.
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