Pat does a U-turn: Kenny’s back on the box for UTV

Veteran broadcaster Pat Kenny has taken another leap of faith in hopping aboard UTV Ireland to make a return to television early next year.

UTV Ireland revealed yesterday that the renowned broadcaster will present a peak-time series on Ireland’s newest TV channel.

However, Kenny, 66, will continue to work in radio on Newstalk, where he now has 134,000 listeners, according to the latest JNLR figures.

Sean O’Rourke, who took over Kenny’s slot on RTÉ Radio 1 just over a year ago, still has more than twice as many listeners at 307,000, but that figure fell by 5,000 over three months.

Kenny said he had made a commitment when he moved to Newstalk after a 41-year stint in RTÉ that he would spend a year or so “bedding in” the radio programme and building its audience.

“But in terms of television, the timing is absolutely perfect for me to get back into a medium in which I spent so many years,” he said. Kenny said it was too early to outline the programme format.

“It is early days in terms of the details of the output but I’m energised by the team at UTV Ireland and the prospect of working with talented young people, allied to some very experienced and wise colleagues.

“The plan is to be on air in the early part of 2015 and we’ve had a few good exchanges about how we can produce an entertaining, enticing proposition that is compelling for viewers.

“During the next few months, we’ll take what is effectively a blank canvas with some initial strands and shape it to create the best television possible.

“I want to get back out there and do something creative and energetic and exciting. That’s the plan.

“For me this is new territory — interesting, challenging and fresh. Another leap, so to speak. I also know the output will reflect the passion, talent, creativity and the energy of the team at UTV Ireland and I’m delighted to be part of that team.”

UTV Ireland channel head Mary Curtis said from the outset there was one presenter in Ireland that they wanted to work with to present a high-profile series for the channel.

“Pat Kenny’s credentials are synonymous with quality and integrity and he is one of Ireland’s most popular interviewers,” said Ms Curtis.

She also announced that the channel would have an early evening news programme — Ireland Live, a 30-minute round-up of all the day’s news from home and abroad, with a specific sports focus on Fridays.

Also, Ireland Live at 10pm will be a 60-minute news and current affairs programme that will facilitate debate and expert reaction on topical issues.

UTV Ireland managing director Michael Wilson said they would be delivering a programme plan with a production cost of more than €600m every year. “That is huge investment in quality content,” he said.

Ms Curtis said that by the time UTV Ireland was launched next January, it would employ 120 people.

New line-up

Some of the programmes unveiled by UTV Ireland:

-Rare Breed (22 Irish farming families filmed over a year in their lives)

-The Graham Norton Show

-The Jonathan Ross Show

-Coronation Street

-Emmerdale;nJeremy Kyle

-The Cube;nSurprise Surprise

-This Morning

-Ant & Dec’s Saturday Night Takeaway.