Ryan Tubridy announces shock departure from his Virgin Radio UK show

Ryan Tubridy has announced his shock departure from his Virgin Radio UK show.

The presenter’s final show on Virgin Radio UK and Dublin’s Q102 is today, Friday 19 December, but Ryan will continue working with the News Broadcasting company.

In a press release today, it was confirmed: “After two successful years as weekday mid-morning host at music stations Virgin Radio UK and Dublin’s Q102, 2026 will see Ryan Tubridy embark on a raft of new opportunities across News Broadcasting – including new standalone YouTube projects alongside working with Times Radio, talkSPORT and Onic.”

“Returning to his speech radio roots, the first fruits of the partnership will be The Late Show with Ryan Tubridy, a new standalone YouTube channel looking back on the lives of the biggest stars in film, music, sport and television, where Ryan chats with the journalists, authors and experts who knew them best.”

“To optimise the reach of The Late Show with Ryan Tubridy, it will also be broadcast on Times Radio, and Ryan will be contributing further to Times Radio in the coming months,” the press release confirmed.

“Ryan is also developing a new show for talkSPORT, the UK’s leading sports news and opinion network, which this year launched on a raft of connected TV services in the UK.

“With talkSPORT holding exclusive audio rights to the FIFA World Cup, 2026 is destined to be a bumper year for the network online, on the app, on the radio, on connected TV and social media platforms.

“Ryan will also host a new, and improved weekend show across the Onic network in Ireland to include Dublin’s Q102, Cork’s 96FM, Limerick’s Live 95 and LMFM across Louth and Meath.

“Onic is a new force in Irish media, building on a brilliant heritage, fuelling a much beloved roster of local radio stations across Ireland while creating an exciting new destination for the best digital audio content.”

Ryan commented: “I am extremely excited about today’s news and the opportunity to work again in the world of speech radio, with YouTube channels and with the Onic network in Ireland.

“As we saw earlier this week with the Oscars Ceremony moving to YouTube, the media world is changing so fast and this is an opportunity to do what I do best with the best content creators in the world.”

“It is with great gratitude that I finish my two years at Virgin Radio UK, where I had the time of my life with the greatest bunch of people. They made me feel welcome and valued which I will never forget, but I can’t wait to get started on these shows. Here’s to 2026!”

Derek Brown, Director of Digital for News Broadcasting, said: “I’ve always thought there’s a huge gap on YouTube for shows that celebrate the lives of the biggest and most well-known names on the planet, and Ryan is the perfect host to present the lives of those people in an in-depth and complete way, chatting to the people who wrote about them.

“Our archive at News UK is a treasure trove of history on those names and this gives us a great opportunity to present it to a new audience.”

Sean Barry, Onic Managing Director, added: “I am delighted to confirm the continuation of our relationship with Ryan, one of Ireland’s finest broadcasters. This new show will lean into Ryan’s strengths with a speech-led offering, complemented with a perfect Sunday morning music accompaniment.”

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