RTE bosses in grovelling Lottie Ryan apology amid new 2FM schedule axe plot

RTE bosses issued a grovelling apology to Lottie Ryan yesterday over mistakingly portraying her as the face of the new 2FM summer schedule.

The Irish Sun revealed on Monday how the daughter of Gerry Ryan had told pals she felt “devastated” and “used” by the organisation.

3

RTE chiefs had announced her as the face of the new 2FM Summer Schedule with a new show, Drive with Lottie and David.

However, instead the 38-year-old will finish up the gig next Friday.

Lottie confirmed on social media yesterday that the role filling in for The 2 Johnnies was always supposed to be a temporary five-weeks.

But insiders have described the carefully choreographed Instagram post as an attempt to show a “united front” after bosses apologised yesterday.

A source told the Irish Sun: “Lottie has got an apology from RTE bosses about how she was wrongly portrayed as part of the ‘summer schedule’ in an RTE release.

“There was no mention that this was only a stand in role for Lottie and she feared it would look like she was fired from her new show when she finishes next Friday.

“Yesterday was all about showing a united front with Lottie and bosses in RTE”.

Lottie, who will now return to her showbiz reporter role, took to Instagram yesterday to clarify the “confusion” over her gig.

She said: “I wanted to clear up some recent headlines about my role at 2FM.

“When it was announced that I would be taking over Drive, it was always agreed between me and my bosses that this would only be for a five-week stint.

“The term ‘summer schedule’ has led to some confusion, implying a 12-week duration. To clarify the plan was always for a short-term cover, and I knew this from the start.

“The phrase ‘summer schedule’ has led to all this confusion. I’m not going anywhere and I’m very much part of 2FM.

“I’ve thoroughly enjoyed my time with the Drive team and it’s been an absolute joy working with such amazing people.”

2FM launched their Summer Schedule in May but made no mention that Lottie was only providing short-term cover.

It bigged up the new show telling listeners: “Lottie Ryan and David O’Reilly will present Monday-Friday on 2FM Drive with Lottie and David.

“The ultimate messers, Lottie and David are set to make the nation’s commute a lot brighter and happier with great tunes, giveaways and giggles all the way home from 3-6pm.”

PALS’ CONFUSION

The mix-up led to the Dancing With The Stars winner getting congratulated by friends and colleagues after finally landing her own show on 2FM.

Pals thought she was replacing The 2 Johnnies full time after working there for 14 years.

Sources said Lottie faced career damage from the perception that she was axed again after being told she was being told TikTok lip syncer Kayleigh Trappe was to replace her on the new show.

But a source told The Irish Sun last night that replacement Kayleigh Trappe will now not immediately take over.

The insider told us: “2FM have decided to hold off announcing a permanent new schedule until the end of the summer after uproar from existing presenters raging at being axed just weeks after they were presented as the faces of the new summer schedule.”

LOTTIE’S STATEMENT IN FULL

“I wanted to clear up some recent headlines about my role at 2FM.

“When it was announced that I would be taking over Drive, it was always agreed between myself and my bosses that this would be for a five-week stint.

“The term ‘summer schedule’ has led to some confusion, implying a 12-week duration.

“To clarify – the plan was always for a short-term cover, and I knew this from the start.

“The phrase ‘summer schedule’ has led to all this confusion. I’m not going anywhere and am very much a part of 2FM .

“I’ve thoroughly enjoyed my time with the incredible Drive team and it’s been an absolute joy working with such amazing people.”

As predicted by The Irish Sun, Lottie will leave her new Drivetime slot next Friday.

Lottie previously filled in for Jennifer Zamparelli on 2FM’s Breakfast Republic Show for nine months without being asked to promote it with a photo-shoot,

It’s understood that neither Lottie or the team on 2FM Drive with Lottie and David were consulted on the summer schedule press release.

Asked by us last Sunday about this, RTE told The Irish Sun they had “no comment”.

A source told us: “2FM sold this as the new summer schedule. It wasn’t.

“Lottie will be gone by the start of July and a TikToker will take over her show. It’s devastating for Lottie and her co-host David, who will be going too.

“Lottie has spent the last few week’s being congratulated about her new show — and now it’s going to be taken off her.”

Lottie, married to husband Fabio Aprile with whom she shares son, Wolf, kicked off her career as a reporter on 2FM’s Colm Hayes Show and did stints on RTE One’s Daily Show before becoming 2FM’s showbiz reporter.

In 2020, she scooped the Glitterball on Dancing With The Stars, later hosting a DWTS podcast but losing out on the job of co-host to Doireann Garrihy in 2022.

3