Mouthing off on The Voice

Bressie’s stint as a judge on RTÉ’s talent show has raised his profile and helped his own career as a singer, says Ed Power

NIALL Breslin, aka Bressie, didn’t know what to expect. “I’d never been on television before,” says the stubbly rocker-turned-judge of RTÉ’s The Voice. “When I was offered the job, my fear was I’d be expected to have a go at people, just to make headlines. I was assured this wasn’t the case.”

Bressie was a spiky presence, a straight-shooter who often disagreed with the panel. He sparred with Kian Egan, of Westlife. A graduate of the rough-and-tumble live circuit, Bressie, a Mullingar native was from a different world, and it showed. “We were having a bit of craic,” says Bressie. “Over the series, we grew to like each other. At the end of it, we got on really well. The initial response in the media was that we were sniping at one another. I have to say, watching later, it didn’t look that way to me. We were simply being honest. You have to say what you think”