Lucy Kennedy says living with Katie Price was ‘a whirlwind’
Lucy moved in with celebrity Katie Price as part of her new series of Living with Lucy on Virgin Media Television
Crime Lords, Love As Gaeilge, the return of and Ireland’s bid for World Cup glory are among a feast of content due to hit screens this autumn from Virgin Media TV. Network stars Elaine Crowley, Muireann O’Connell, Tommy Bowe, Katja Mia, Alan Hughes, Martin King and Claire Brock attended the launch at the Stella Cinema in Dublin’s Rathmines for the announcement of the upcoming programmes which sees a big focus on Irish, home-produced content.
Viewer favourite Lucy Kennedy is back for another series of , the show where she goes to live with celebrities. The new series will see the 47-year-old lodge with a new line-up of well-known personalities including sports broadcaster Des Cahill, Coronation Street star Simon Gregson, comedian Andrew Maxwell, and former footballer turned pundit Richard Sadlier. But it was Kennedy’s experience of living with media personality and model Katie Price that seemed to stand out.
“Katie Price was a whirlwind. I actually got a headache on the plane home. I think it was like, [gasps] like jetlag,” Kennedy jokes. “I’ve lived with nearly 50 celebs, but there’s something about this show that people still love, and I just love doing it”.
A gripping three-part crime series called sees Ireland's most notorious criminal John Gilligan lift the lid on his life of crime and the role his gang played in carrying out the murder of crime journalist Veronica Guerin.
Ground-breaking fly-on-the-wall series also returns next month, providing real-life insights into policing in Ireland. It also sheds light on the issue of domestic violence, as cameras follow the first-ever conviction for coercive control in Ireland.
, another original documentary series for the network, will follow the journey of tiny babies and their families with cameras being given access into neo-natal wards at the busy Cork University Hospital. Viewers will get a unique insight into the dedication and care that goes into offering life-saving treatment to vulnerable newborns.
In , Brian Dowling and his team of sustainable interior designers, up-cyclers, and tradespeople are on a mission to transform Ireland’s tired, old rooms into trendy spaces fit for modern living. The twist is that they can’t use anything new.
Fans of Love Island will enjoy a new dating show ‘as gaeilge’ this season. Bean an Tí, Síomha Ní Ruairc and social media darling, James Kavanagh throw open the doors of their ‘Love Teach’ in Under the watchful eye of Cinnire, Gráinne Seoige, ten singletons will be put through their paces to learn Irish to find love.
Seoige, who moved back to Ireland from South Africa during the pandemic, says the show charts “the Gaeltacht like you’ve never seen it before. It’s a real mark of confidence in how Ireland is changing and how we are coming back to our language and our culture. I think the Gaelscoil system has been incredibly successful in that revival.”
Head of Content Strategy at Virgin Media Television, Anthony Nilan says that public service broadcasting remains at the heart of this season’s programming. “We’re continuing to celebrate and promote home-grown creativity with new and returning original Irish formats and series. Our home-produced programming remains rooted in values and interests that resonate with our audience, and reflects the complexity and richness of Irish society, led by our daytime, news and current affairs output.”
Virgin Media Television will continue to be home to some of the biggest international shows. The godfather of reality TV, makes its long-awaited return after a five-year absence. AJ Odudu and Will Best take over as the show’s hosts as a cast of house-mates lodge together under constant surveillance.
Sport also takes centre stage this autumn on the network. There will be live coverage of the throughout the entire tournament, as Ireland look to make history in France.
Live games include Ireland’s group opener against Romania on September 9th, the crunch Pool B game against Scotland, and their potential quarter-final along with the other ties from the last eight that day. Other live games include South Africa v Scotland, Wales v Australia, the semi-final, the third-fourth place play-off and the World Cup final itself.
There’s also live coverage of football’s Euro 2024 Qualifiers, UEFA Champions League, Europa League and Conference League, along with SSE Airtricity League of Ireland Premier Division football.
The season kicks off this Friday 1st September with the highly anticipated Dublin Derby between Shamrock Rovers and Bohemians FC at Tallaght Stadium.
