O’Connor pulls out of Late Late in row with RTÉ

SINÉAD O’CONNOR has launched a blistering attack on RTÉ over its motive for inviting her to be a guest on the Late Late Show this week.

The singer yesterday confirmed her decision to pull out of the show as she accused one of the programme’s researchers of being “rude, patronising, insulting and disrespectful” towards her.

Ms O’Connor was scheduled to appear alongside film stars Colin Farrell and Cuba Gooding Jnr tomorrow, the first programme of the Late Late Show’s season.

Her guest appearance was eagerly awaited as she recently revealed a crush on the lanky presenter among other controversial comments about her sex life.

However, Ms O’Connor said questions asked by a Late Late Show researcher had wounded her enormously. “[They] showed me it would not be either a safe or respectful environment in which to place my precious self,” said Ms O’Connor.

In a blog post on her website yesterday, the 44 year old remarked: “I value myself too much to allow myself to be so disrespected, patronised and treated like a ‘crazy’ person.”

Ms O’Connor, who has grabbed media headlines over the past two weeks after publicly declaring her need for sex, said she was suffering “an enormous physical pain” as a result of her conversation with the researcher.

“It is sickening to have it suggested by anyone that I am ‘insane’ for talking openly about sex,” said Ms O’Connor.

She claimed the researcher had asked her was it not insane behaviour to publicly discuss her sex life, given that she suffered from depression.

The singer, who is due to appear at the Electric Picnic festival in Stradbally, Co Laois, on Friday to promote her new album, said she also found it patronising and chauvinistic to be asked what her brother — the author Joseph O’Connor — thought of her behaviour.

In reaction, she vowed never to appear on the Late Late Show again and expressed anger that no apology had been offered by Tubridy or anyone on the programme.

Ms O’Connor said she was tired of being branded “crazy” and warned that such labelling had often led her to feel suicidal.

“If anyone connected with the Late Late Show had even the remotest thought that my having fun and talking about sex was a symptom of a mental illness, then it would have been very exploitative of them to have me on the show as some crazy performing monkey,” she said.

In a statement, RTÉ said it was disappointed at Ms O’Connor’s decision to cancel her appearance as it had been looking forward to having her on the programme to talk about her search for “a more fulfilling love life”.

“While we never discuss specific negotiations around any guests who have been invited to appear on the show, we would like to stress that it was never our intention to cause Sinéad any stress,” said an RTÉ spokeswoman.

She added that the singer had been a regular guest on the Late Late Show over the years and would always remain welcome to appear on it again. However, RTÉ sources admitted station bosses were confused over Ms O’Connor’s explanation for her U-turn over her appearance.

An RTÉ insider dismissed Ms O’Connor’s claims that a researcher had labelled her “insane” for talking openly about sex.