Working for Christmas: Cork's RedFM will have a live show this year

As Red FM’s only live show on Christmas Day, a lot of responsibility lies on the shoulders of Shane Buckley and Doc Martin, known on air as Bucks and Doc.

“We’re the only two madmen to put ourselves forward and offer to do a live show on Christmas Day,” jokes Bucks.

“We’re live from 10am to 2pm. We’ve got Keywest and Hermitage Green on the show, we’re going to check in with Santa, and we’re going to have the king’s speech from the king himself, Mr Neil Prendeville, just around lunch time.”

Bucks, from Ballincollig, said he doesn’t mind working his second Christmas in a row. “Last year we got a great response with people listening and texting in. We thought it might just be our two mothers listening and no one else, but turns out there were quite a few people on to us,” he said.

“The thought of having to set an alarm on Christmas Day of all days was a bit strange but for me I live six minutes in a car journey out the road, Doc is a Mitchelstown man.”

“Well, I’m from Ballindangan, a small village outside of Mitchelstown,” clarifies Doc. “I don’t mind it too much. Christmas morning is usually spent waiting for the mother’s cooking anyway so working instead kind of keeps me out of trouble.

“Last year she was like, ‘You’re working Christmas Day?!’ sort of a thing and she was worried about the dinner, I think she was more worried there’d be leftovers moreso than my actually not being in the house but no, she knows now I’ll make the dinner so she’s OK with it.”

Bucks and Doc will be speaking with some expats who were unable to come home this Christmas. They plan to read out some very special Christmas messages being sent to homes across Cork tomorrow.