‘NOT TERMINATED’ | 

Ryan Tubridy disputes RTÉ’s claim his contract has ‘come to an end’

RTÉ released the statement this morning that negotiations over a new contract were on hold after the presenter quit his role as host of the Late Late Show.

Today at 17:58

Ryan Tubridy is disputing a statement from RTE that his contract ‘has come to an end’ the Irish Independent understands.

RTÉ released the statement this morning that negotiations over a new contract were on hold after the presenter quit his role as host of the Late Late Show.

Mr Tubridy’s previous contract with RTÉ began in July 2020 and was set to end in March 2025.

“Ryan Tubridy stood down from the Late Late Show in May. RTÉ has written to his agent that the contract including all arrangements therein has come to an end,” the statement said.

“Negotiations had commenced regarding his radio responsibilities. Those negotiations have been paused as with all negotiations as per Board statement.”

However, a source close to Mr Tubridy told the Irish Independent he does not believe that his contract is terminated and plans to contest that assertion by the national broadcaster.

“We reject the suggestion that the contract is terminated. The precedent is when contracts change like this and when one element, be it TV or radio goes, that the contract is amended to reflect the change, but it is not terminated.

“We will be making that very clear to RTÉ. We believe it’s black and white,” the source added.

Meanwhile Taoiseach Leo Varadkar has slammed RTÉ’s statement yesterday for pinning the blame for the secret cash fiasco on former director general Dee Forbes.

“We do not believe that the former DG Dee Forbes was the only person with knowledge of these events,” Mr Varadkar said speaking in the Dáil during Leaders Questions.

Audit of a scandal: How the Ryan Tubridy RTÉ payments furore unfurled

Tubridy was not paid an exit fee and the “earnings he received were what he was contractually entitled to”, the RTÉ Board Chair Siún Ní Raghallaigh will tell the Oireachtas Media Committee.

She will also apologise to TDs and Senators on the Media Committee for “simply untrue” information the State broadcaster provided previously to politicians.

Mr Varadkar said RTÉ’s timeline of four weeks for investigating other payments to Ryan Tubridy between 2017 and 2019 was also not satisfactory.

The executives should explain why it should take four weeks, he said. “I don’t understand that.”

He repeated that it currently appeared only one of the station’s top 10 earners received a “clandestine payment.”