Culture That Made Me: Lucy Kennedy selects eight of her influences
Lucy Kennedy. Picture: Richie Stokes
Lucy Kennedy, 45, grew up in Sandycove, Dublin. Since her breakout on The Podge and Rodge Show in 2006, she has been a regular presenter on Irish TV and radio. She co-hosts The Colm & Lucy Breakfast Show on Ireland’s Classic Hits Radio and has been fronting the TV series Livin’ with Lucy for over a decade.
- Her children’s book The Friendship Fairies Go to Camp is published by Gill Books. See www.gillbooks.ie.
I remember running home to watch Neighbours when I was 13, 14. It was that must-see TV experience that doesn't exist anymore for kids. Listening to the music brings me right back, watching it with my schoolbag still on my back.
It’s based on Ramsay Street, about how all the neighbours get on, all the trials and tribulations: marriage problems, love-life problems, innocent content. Nothing rude or jarring for a child. The most you’d see might be a kiss. The whole country was waiting for Kylie and Jason’s first kiss. Loved it! All my friends did. Some of the original cast are still in it, 30 years later.
In my late teens, early twenties I watched shows that didn’t involve much thought. I went through a phase of watching The Jenny Jones Show. The host would come out. Everyone would clap. “Go, Jenny, go Jenny!”
Then the first guest would come out and everyone would boo. It was muck, real switch-off TV. All I was thinking of was where I was going out to drink that night. I was an air hostess. So when I wasn't flying, I was sitting in a tracksuit watching daytime telly. What a loser!
I still love The Late Late Show. It’s the familiarity, the music. Everything feels the same. There’s something for everyone. If you’re not into sport, you wait for the next guest. That's why it's lasted as long as it has. Ryan [Tubridy], who’s my friend, is at the top of his game.
He’s a versatile presenter – he has the right personality to interview a reality TV star and then he can switch to politics two minutes later. The Late Late is in us as Irish people. It always evokes memories when I would have sat down with my parents and watched TV. With my own kids now, it’s an annual thing where we watch the Toy Show. It’s a comfort thing.
Louis Theroux can absorb himself in any life out there. He’s so bright, very articulate. He's well researched and he's extremely likeable. It’s very rare to get those four skills in one body. He just has it. He can move in with strippers in Arizona, and it seems like he's always lived there. He has this ability to adapt so quickly. He genuinely has a natural love of people. It’s as simple as that.
He has this curiosity. On one level, I’m like a poor man’s Louis Theroux – I'm kind of absorbing myself into a celebrity’s life on Livin’ with Lucy. It's not easy. He does it at such extreme levels with, say, the Ku Klux Klan, whereas I'm living with a famous face, in safety. Without a shadow of a doubt, he’s one of the best broadcasters.
I don't really make an effort [with makeup and appearance] on Livin’ with Lucy. It's “living with Lucy”, so if I were at home I would wear the same thing. Why would I put on a Debs dress? I don’t change because we’re on telly. My theory is: I can't expect celebrities to be themselves if I'm not myself.
I remember walking into Gemma Collins’ place for our episode. We were chatting away on camera. “Hi, I’m Lucy blah blah blah.” I was wearing jeans, comfy clothes. We’d just travelled from Dublin. I needed to go to the loo so the camera cut, and she went, “Are you the presenter?” She was shocked. It was so embarrassing.
It’s this new culture where you can't be who you are – you've got to change who you are or what you look like. I refuse to do that.
I had no radio experience when I was asked to cover on RTÉ radio following Gerry Ryan’s death. I was introduced to Colm Hayes, a radio veteran, to co-present the show until they found a permanent replacement. We’re still presenting together 11 years later.
He was there on Day One when I had the microphone facing the wrong way. If I was maybe burping or rustling papers by mistake, I would say, “Sorry, sorry.” He would say, “Don’t worry. That’s what a normal person would do.” He made it all genuine. He’s completely himself on air, which is rare. People change when the red light goes on. Their voice, say, will change: “You didn’t sound like that a minute ago when we were off-air!”
He taught me to be myself whether I'm having a good day or a bad day – it doesn't matter, just be real.
The Crown is addictive. The acting is outstanding. I love the period side things. I love the storylines. I love knowing that what we're seeing happened. The queen has had such a hard life. She didn't want to be queen. She had no choice but to do what she does. Also how restrictive their lives are.
Interestingly, when Meghan Markle was talking with Harry in the infamous interview with Oprah a few months ago she referred to the royal family as “The Firm”. She was right. It’s a business. The Crown proves that.
A lot of the time, the queen isn't making decisions, someone is making them above her. It’s a strange world.
Dave Fanning once described my taste in music as “offensive”, which is saying something for someone who works in radio!
I am that person who plays Whitney Houston's Run to You if I'm having a bad day. I am an '80s-90s girl. If I need to get in the mood for a few drinks, I might play ABBA.
If I want a good cry, I always go to Whitney or Celine Dion. Obviously.
