D’Arcy to sue over fall and give to charity

Today FM star Ray D’Arcy has revealed he is set to take legal action over a fall which has left him needing surgery to repair his broken nose.

The hugely popular presenter said he had reluctantly decided to sue over his injured face but planned to donate any compensation to charity.

The radio jock took a tumble and landed face-first on the pavement while jogging into work last week but carried on and presented his breakfast show on Today FM.

He told how he took the fall during his morning run after tripping on the protruding stub of a signpost.

The 47-year-old father of one said he had been told by his surgeon that he needed an operation next week to repair the damage.

He told listeners on his show: “It is bent but I am not worried about the aesthetic of it.

“He assures me if I leave the septum like that, I will have sinus problems in the future.

“It was bad. There is going to be legal action, I have decided now.”

He said his fiancée Jenny Kelly urged him to take up a listener’s suggestion of claiming compensation for a charity when he found out he had to have surgery.

“When I came home and told Jenny that I had to have an operation and an anaesthetic, she said ‘Now it’s serious, get a solicitor’s letter into those people and let’s get it going’.”

However, the Kildare man said he was reluctant to go down the legal route.

“I’m not litigious. I don’t feel right about doing that. But it could have been [worse] and you have to ensure it doesn’t happen to someone else.

“Some people have suggested — I shouldn’t joke about this — that there might have been some brain damage and my personality has changed in the last week,” he quipped.

The king of breakfast radio said he has taken pictures of the offending sign stump last week after falling.

The DJ regularly campaigns for charity on his show and helped raise €2m as part of Today FM’s Shave or Dye annual charity drive.

The presenter had his hair dyed orange earlier this year before having it shaved off. There were over 8,000 Shave or Dye events held around the country this year alone.

More than 130 heads were shaved during The Ray D’Arcy Show as Ray and the crew broadcast from The Style Club and a packed Break For The Border in Dublin.

The broadcaster got engaged to partner and co-presenter Jenny Kelly when he got down on one knee last Christmas.

They have a five-year-old daughter named Kate, and are preparing for a new arrival this month.