Virgin Media’s autumn schedule includes first TV show presented by Irish trans woman
(Left to right) Demi Isaac Oviawe, Lucy Kennedy, Bill Malone (Virgin Media Television Director of Content), Dami Hope from Love Island, Rebecca de Havilland, Darragh Ennis from The Chase and Elaine Crowley at the Virgin Media Television New Season Launch. Picture: Brian McEvoy
A reality television show presented by one of Ireland's first openly transgender women is among the highlights of Virgin Media’s new autumn programming.
Second Chance Bootcamp will see Rebecca DeHavilland, who says she lost her career “overnight” when she was outed as transgender by a Sunday newspaper in the 90s, offer support, help and guidance to those who are in need of “a second chance in life".
The series, which is currently recruiting participants whose lives may have been derailed by addiction, prison, direct provision or abusive relationships, was inspired by the 63-year-old's ‘Project Bootcamp’ which was targeted at transpeople in the process of transitioning who may need support.
The network has also commissioned a number of new dramas for the autumn including six-part series The Vanishing Triangle which is inspired by true events that shocked Ireland in the 1990s when a number of women in the east of the country vanished without a trace.
A comedy-drama co-written by and starring Baz Ashmawy is another new commission. Faithless will follow Irish-Egyptian dad, Sam, who is presented with the life-altering responsibility of raising his three young daughters alone.
Returning to our screens this season will be Lucy Kennedy’s ever-popular Living with Lucy along with a brand-new investigative series Lucy Investigates launching in October. A sneak peek of the show shows the journalist awkwardly whipping an almost-naked man in an episode that explores ‘sex in the suburbs.’
A brand-new season of Eating With The Enemy is also on the cards, with former broadcaster George Hook among those recruited to debate opposing views. He will address his suspension by Newstalk over controversial rape case comments on the show over dinner with journalist Martin Warde, the first Traveller in Ireland to complete a Masters in Journalism.
Holding, the highly anticipated Irish drama series based on Graham Norton’s best-selling novel and filmed in Cork, will launch on Virgin Media One on Monday, September 12 — though some viewers may have already seen it on ITV back in March. It stars Oscar-winner Brenda Fricker, Game of Thrones’ Conleth Hill and Derry Girls’ Siobhán McSweeney alongside Cork actress Demi Isaac Oviawe.
Bill Malone, Director of Content Virgin Media Television, said "Irish voices and Irish stories" are to the fore in the network's new season schedule, adding that Virgin Media Two has seen a record growth in younger viewers in 2022.
“This year, we have refocused Virgin Media Two as a channel for younger audiences and are seeing massive growth, with share of viewing for 15-34 year olds up 57% and for 25-44 year olds up 54% so far this year," he said.
“VMTV is also enjoying a record year of streaming, with over 31 million streams on Virgin Media Player and On Demand this year, while the most streamed show in the country is still Love Island with 15 million streams for this year’s series alone."
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