Mick Clifford: Tubridy's career has received a major blow, but future remains in his own hands

How did somebody so long in a public role, so well remunerated, so apparently attuned to the public mood, exercise such poor judgement in this affair?

Ryan Tubridy during the series finale of The Late Late Show. Picture: Andres Poveda

Up until Thursday, Ryan Tubridy might have been a good outside bet on winning the next presidential election. 

His fellow broadcaster Miriam O’Callaghan has been mentioned in dispatches about potential candidates (She has stated she has no interest). Gay Byrne weighed up on whether or not to run back in 2011. Tubridy is from a similar stable. Such a career choice may not feature on his radar, but if it did the bookies would have quickly shortened odds on him arriving at the Áras.