'An icon of broadcasting': Joe Duffy to retire from RTÉ

RTÉ presenter Joe Duffy has announced his retirement after 37 years at the station.

The Ballyfermot broadcaster made the announcement today as he signed off on his radio programme Liveline, which he has presented for 27 years.

The 69-year-old will present his final Liveline programme on Friday June 27.

“After 37 wonderful years here in RTÉ, and 27 years presenting Liveline, it has been an incredible honour and privilege to be part of a programme that relied entirely on trust: the trust of our listeners,” he said.

“People felt they could pick up the phone, ring Liveline and share their lives, problems, stories – sad, bad, sometimes mad and funny – their struggles, and their victories.

“I never took that for granted, not for a single minute. RTÉ has been a great place to work. Public service has always been at its heart.

“And now, after many happy years, I’ve decided the time has come to move on.

“I would like to thank you, the listener, for tuning in each and every day, it has been an honour to sit in this seat and hear your stories.” 

Duffy joined RTÉ originally as a radio producer in 1989 and came to prominence as a reporter on the Gay Byrne Show.

He presented programmes like Soundbyte before taking over Liveline in 1998, and has attracted some 400,000 listeners to the call-in programme.

RTÉ director-general Kevin Bakhurst paid tribute to Duffy as “an icon of broadcasting”.

RTÉ said it would “run a process” over the coming months to appoint Duffy’s successor and make an announcement in the autumn.