Slow start but Tubridy talks up a tornado in Finucane slot
This would be lighter fare than Marian Finucane had served up for breakfast for the last few years. And for a first foray into Radio 1’s prime mid-morning slot, Ryan Tubridy made a slightly nervous but ultimately convincing start.
Singling out an Irish Examiner story in his press review to kick things off made him and it was clear from the get-go that Tubridy wanted to relieve the hard news hammering of Morning Ireland with “bright music” and “breezy chat”, as The Tubridy Show manifesto outlines it.
This was a two-hour slot of easily digestible bite sizes and without the geeky presence of small screen Telly Tubridy, it was much easier to swallow.
As for the nerves, they’re to be expected from any 32-year-old trying to fill the 350,000-regular-listener shoes of Queen Marian. Previous success on 2FM’s The Full Irish should have given RTÉ’s golden boy confidence, however.
A solid interview with musician Gavin Friday on U2’s weekend gigs was the firm plank on which the rest of the show was built, and an item on a row over The Tall Ships festival in Waterford showed a willingness to engage with the wider world beyond Dublin 1, 2, 3 and 4.
Mr Tubridy also appeared eager to court the potential children’s audience hanging around the radio dial all summer, as he promised items of interest to that demographic. As if to prove the intention, he had author Geraldine McCaughrean on, talking about her work on the sequel to children’s classic Peter Pan.
In light of her dire radio presence, Mr Tubridy proved his mettle by making up for her performance with engaging banter.
The sports’ fraternity was courted with Jimmy McGee guesting and world affairs got the nod with a piece on political kidnapping in Colombia.
A mixed bag to begin with, but give Mr Tubridy time to settle into the chair. In a few months, Pat Kenny might even be looking over his shoulder.
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