Ray D’Arcy 'hugely disappointed' after announcement of departure from RTÉ Radio 1

Kenneth Fox

Broadcaster Ray D’Arcy has left RTÉ after 11 years, saying he was “hugely disappointed” with how his departure was handled by management at the station.

RTÉ announced that The Ray D’Arcy Show is set to come to an end this week, with Ray presenting his show for the final time on Wednesday.

As The Irish Times reports in a statement issued on Thursday, Mr D’Arcy (61) said he was “hugely disappointed with RTÉ management and how my departure from Radio 1 has been handled”.

“I’ve been with Radio 1 for the past 11 years. In that time, I have worked with some brilliant people. I want to thank them. I also want to thank all the regulars on the show, the guests, and the wonderful, loyal listeners,” he said.

“I am also very proud of how we highlighted mental health and addiction issues over the years – these are areas I will continue to be active in.

“I love radio, and daily radio is part of who I am. I look forward to the opportunities ahead.”

They said during its tenure, Ray and his team produced thousands of hours of live radio, capturing real-life stories and a huge range of personal experiences.

RTÉ said: "The Ray D'arcy Show championed Irish artists and music over the years, as well as hosting many memorable, funny, and entertaining moments.

"The programme encouraged tens of thousands of people all around the country to get active with the hugely popular Run with Ray series, which brought runners and non-runners together to run 5km with Ray at events in their local communities. "

Speaking about his departure, RTÉ’s director of audio, Patricia Monahan, said: "I would like to sincerely thank Ray for his contribution to RTÉ Radio 1 over the last eleven years. While The Ray D’Arcy Show is not part of our future plans, we wish him well in his future endeavours.”

"Details of future plans for RTÉ Radio 1 will be announced soon. Shay Byrne will present for the remainder of the week."

D'Arcy began his career as a presenter for both TV and radio by joining RTÉ Raidió na Gaeltachta in 1985.

His first position as a TV presenter began in 1988 on the show Jo Maxi. Then in 1990, D'Arcy replaced Ian Dempsey as the presenter of The Den, RTÉ's flagship children's television series.

During his time as presenter, the show saw a huge ratings spike. He would end up staying as host of the show until 1998.

After a stint with Today FM, D'arcy returned to RTÉ in 2015 to present The Ray D'Arcy Show. His show began airing every weekday from 3 to 4:30pm.