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TV presenter Brenda Donohue has revealed she wants Joe Duffy’s Liveline job.
On Friday, Joe hosted his final show ahead of his retirement after 37 years working at RTE.
RTE are currently on the hunt for the next host of the iconic phone-in show and Brenda has revealed she will tell RTE bosses that she wants to put her name in the ring to be the next host of Liveline.
She told us: “Am I going to put an expression of interest in like half the country is for the job? Yes. I will.
“I talk to people. I like people. They are the things that are going for me. I spent all my life talking to people. Hearing their ups and downs. I love all that.
“But it is a hard show. It is really tough.
“You’ve a great team, they work so hard.”
Brenda has worked as a reporter for RTE for over 30 years. She also produces Liveline from time to time.
“It is kind of obvious on one level but on another level, it’s not. I don’t know. I haven’t gone banging about it. They know I’m good at talking to people.
“And I care about people. I’m always very interested. I go out for a walk and I meet people who tell me about their dogs etc… so people naturally tell me things.
“They know that. It isn’t something I have begged for but I will express interest.
“Look to be honest, I haven’t heard my name being mentioned and I probably don’t have to push myself to push it.
“But I know I talk to people well and I do a good chat.
“I love people but it is a hard gig.”
But Brenda reckons Montrose bosses could be looking to put a presenter with a background of current affairs into the iconic seat.
For the next two weeks, Philip Boucher-Hayes will host Liveline.
Brenda told us: “I haven’t heard that my name is in the mix for it. The people they have filling in for the next couple of weeks, they all have a current affairs journalistic type background as well as other things.
“They seem to be focused a lot on that.
“They keep putting current affairs people into the slot.”
Brenda said Joe created a gift by giving a voice to people who wouldn’t normally be heard – and she hopes that continues.
“I think with Joe gone, whether it is subtle or unsubtle, there has to be something and whoever comes has to make their mark.
“It will still hopefully be a forum for people who don’t have a voice and once they keep the essence of that.
“The fact that Joe has created that space, that is really our gift to all of us who are trying to make programmes still,” she said.
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