Radio host Ray D’Arcy has said he was “blindsided” by RTÉ’s choice not to extend his contract.
In an interview with The Irish Times, D’Arcy said the situation became “unsustainable” after he was told not to inform his team or his listeners that he would be leaving the station, reports Breaking News.
He added that one senior RTÉ executive admitted to him that the organisation had been “brutal” in its handling of the matter.
D’Arcy rejected recent remarks by RTÉ’s head of audio, who claimed he had been informed in advance about the decision to drop him from the broadcaster, reports Breaking News.
The former RTÉ Radio 1 host said he was “completely blindsided” by the move not to renew his contract and alleged that he was specifically asked not to disclose the situation to his colleagues or audience.
RTÉ’s director of audio, Patricia Monahan, told The Irish Times that D’Arcy had received three months’ notice prior to his contract expiring on December 31st, reports Breaking News.
Monahan added that when she assumed the role last year, all presenters were told there were no guarantees of contract renewal.
However, D’Arcy refuted this claim, insisting there had been “no forewarning”, reports Breaking News.
In a statement, the broadcaster said he met with Monahan on September 29th to discuss the future of his contract.
“I was told it was not going to be renewed. I was completely blindsided. There had been no forewarning,” D’Arcy said, reports Breaking News.
Tell us your thoughts in the Facebook post and share this with your friends.
