RTÉ Information and Present Affairs broadcaster Katie Hannon took a visit down reminiscence lane on Friday’s Late Late Present as she advised host Ryan Tubridy about how she witnessed “the start of Boyzone” in her early days as a social diarist and showbiz reporter.
Hannon recounted that she acquired the job by chance fairly than by design.
“I used to be very younger. It was one among my early forays in print journalism, and I sort of completely fell into it – I did not ever intend to do it,” she mentioned.
“I did a narrative about Leeson Road as a result of I had some buddies who have been working the door there. Considered one of them was Don Wycherley, the actor, really.
“They thought within the Night Herald, the place I used to be freelancing, that I knew issues about Dublin nightlife that I really did not know in any respect – however I simply rolled with it!
“So I acquired the job because the social diarist, and it was nice enjoyable. However, you understand, for the brief haul, not for the lengthy haul… [I was] Fairly intimidated by the entire setup, actually!”
Hannon saluted Louis Walsh as being her finest supply again within the day.
“That is pre-Boyzone, proper?” she continued.
“That is, like, early days Louis. He was the most effective supply of gossip in all showbiz – bar none! To the diploma that he would really say, ‘I might by no means learn the 9 O’Clock Information as a result of I might flip up at 5 to 9 going, ‘I am unable to wait to inform you!’ And that was Louis. And he actually was – he was a superb man to know for those who wanted to fill two pages of the Night Herald each day.”
“Boyzone got here alongside – and I used to be there on the start of Boyzone!” she then revealed. “Ronan Keating has by no means actually given me the true credit score I deserve, I really feel, on this entrance!
“We have been round there at first. I used to be at these early auditions. All of them trooped in and sang Careless Whisper. It was good – it was an incredible turnaround for Louis and, clearly, look the place it acquired him!”
Again within the current day, Hannon’s new programme, Upfront with Katie Hannon, begins on RTÉ One and the RTÉ Participant on Monday, 30 January.
“I am actually enthusiastic about it,” she mentioned.
“It is a sort of a nod to Questions and Solutions, however the viewers will not be simply within the studio. We’ll be speaking to the viewers throughout social media, throughout the nation throughout the week. We’ll be taking questions from our wider viewers, there will be a WhatsApp line the place you’ll be able to name in.
“The entire thought is that it is a nationwide dialog. We can have different strands to it. We can have a weekly podcast as nicely. We can have written content material, debate that can be carried on throughout the week on-line.
“However the principle factor we wish to get out there’s that, if you wish to be on this viewers, if you wish to be a part of this dialog, discover us on-line. We’re at rte.ie/upfront.
“We can be following the information agenda to some extent, however we would like it to be extra… I imply, I like a very good row as a lot as the following particular person – and I am hoping that we are going to have sturdy debate, we are going to completely be encouraging that in each means – however we additionally wish to convey some mild into it as nicely. We wish individuals to return into that viewers, and we can be giving the house for individuals to inform their very own tales.”
Very nice post. I just stumbled upon your blog and wanted to say that I’ve really enjoyed browsing your blog posts. In any case I’ll be subscribing to your feed and I hope you write again soon!