RTE icon’s replacement starts today after leaving ‘one of the best jobs’

AN RTE icon’s replacement starts today after she left “one of the best jobs” in a major shake-up.

Bryan Dobson hung up his Montrose microphone earlier this year in May after almost 40 years working at the State broadcaster.

Rachael English, who worked on Morning Ireland for 14 years, will be making her move over to RTE’s flagship lunchtime programme, News at One on RTE Radio 1, today.

The Clare native’s former colleague Maggie Doyle made sure to wish her luck on air this morning.

Rachael announced her switch on air on May 30 saying: “After 14 years of getting to do one of the best jobs on Irish radio, I’m moving on from Morning Ireland but I’m not going far.”

RTE Radio 1’s News at One is one of the top ten most listened to radio programmes in Ireland with over 300,000 listeners. 

Rachael and her fellow presenters will be on air on Monday to Friday from 1pm on RTE Radio 1. 

She revealed her nerves ahead of the huge move saying: “In one way it’s a little daunting to be following in the footsteps of so many great broadcasters but I’m delighted to have the opportunity and I’m really looking forward to it.”

Rachael added: “Obviously I’m going to miss all my colleagues on Morning Ireland. I won’t miss the 4am call to be honest.”

Her co-host Cian McCormack gave her a sweet send off as he said: “I know you’re not out the door yet but I think I speak for every member of the programme here when I say you’ve always been a pleasure to work with.

“We’ll really, really miss you here.”

Rachael first joined RTE in 1991 as a 2FM news reader and later worked as a reporter for Morning Ireland; the News at One, Today With Pat Kenny and RTE Television News. 

Her first full-time presenting job was on Five Seven Live on RTE Radio 1, and she presented The Late Debate and Saturday View before joining Morning Ireland in 2010.

Last weekend, Bryan Dobson joined Elaine Crowley and Martin King on Ireland AM to discuss how he feels after retiring.

After viewing his final clip on RTE, he admitted that he felt more “emotional” watching it now than he did while doing it.

EMOTIONAL BRYAN

Elaine then asked him: “How are you finding the change of pace since you retired?”

The 64-year-old responded: “Just fine, I think I’m doing okay, it’s about, as you said, a little over two months in, so maybe I feel still a bit like I’m on extended leave.”

Martin then asked: “You said that part of your retirement plan was sailing, have you done much of it?”

Bryan said: “Yes, I have done a bit of that in the last week or so.

“Myself and a buddy we have a small sailing boat and we had the boat up in Scotland for a few days.”

And as Elaine asked him about his future, he admitted: “I’m not saying never again, but I’m definitely taking a little break.”