RTE fans set to be gutted as Fair City pulled from schedule in major shake-up

RTE have made a major shake-up and pulled Fair City from the schedule.

There will be huge disappointment for soap fans as the show has been taken off air tonight to allow for broadcast of the Euros 2024 Semi-Final.

The UEFA European Football Championship will be shown on RTE 2 from 7pm until 10.35pm.

Fair City normally airs at 8pm on RTE One, however tonight a repeat episode of The Style Counsellors will be on screens instead.

Viewers can watch Suzanne Jackson give a makeover to 35-year-old Garda Julia Walsh of Templemore, Tipperary, who wants to find outfits that she can wear over and over again.

Fair City will still be going ahead this Thursday at 8.30pm and Sunday at 8pm.

But for now viewers will have to wait an extra two days to see how the drama unfolds on the development as Hayley Collins and James Rafferty scramble to find a new place for Erica and Doug.

RTE boss Kevin Bakhurst recently told stunned workers that production of some of the station’s best-known shows will no longer be made on the Montrose site as they aim to slash costs.

Bakhurst revealed the bombshell decision as he outlined the struggling broadcaster’s new strategy document, entitled A New Direction.

Employees heard that outside producers will be invited to bid for Fair City in a way that would be successful for all involved.

They also heard that the world’s longest-running chat show could possibly be produced by an in-house team in conjunction with an independent company.

In addition, the station will cut around 500 jobs over the next five years in a bid to secure badly-needed funding.

As part of the plan, personnel costs will reduce from 51 per cent of operating costs in 2024 to 45 per cent in 2029.

A restructured Donnybrook site would mean reduced overheads, “with fewer people on-site due to headcount reductions and further increases in hybrid working”.

CITY CUT

A new multi-functional studio will be established in Cork, which it says will deliver a mix of in-house and commissioned programmes.

The document outlined to staff states that RTE “will also invest in training and development to ensure RTÉ has the right skillset to deliver this change”.

The aim is for the broadcaster to have a “world class digital portfolio”.

Other plans include the launch of the new RTÉ Audio app and RTÉ News app by 2025, both offering “enhanced content and user experience”.

The strategy also says that, by 2027, 50 per cent of all non-live television content will be made available on RTÉ Player first.

Minister Catherine Martin revealed that the first sum of €20 million in funding for RTE has now been delivered.