Laughing her way to the top

SINÉAD KENNEDY is only happy when it rains.

The historic levels of precipitation we’re getting this summer suit the RTÉ presenter just fine. “I’m learning to surf at the moment, so I’m probably the only person in Ireland hoping for bad weather,” she laughs. “I’m going home at the weekend and I want Monday to be absolutely miserable, so there’ll be some waves down in West Cork and I can get up on my board.”

The 28-year-old has been surfing for the last couple of years, whenever she can fit a few hours into a schedule built around her roles as presenter on the daily celebrity gossip show Juice on RTÉ Two and her new gig, hosting The Big Money Game with Brian Ormond on RTÉ One. Juice has wrapped up for the summer months, but The Big Money Game goes out on Saturday night, so there aren’t too many weekends free for surfing. However, Kennedy is committed to her new hobby. “It’s a time and money thing, isn’t it? When you’ve got the time, you’ve never got the money and vice-versa. Sure that’s always the way, but I get out there when I can. Practice makes perfect all the same.”