RTE talent crisis twist as celeb agent ‘in driving seat’ over hunt for stars

CELEBRITY agent Noel Kelly is having the last laugh on RTE — and is now in the driving seat to save the broadcaster’s sinking pop station 2FM.

RTE boss Kevin Bakhurst went public last year vowing he would not deal directly with Kelly when negotiating with RTE presenters represented by him.

7

7

7

But after 2FM lost four of its biggest stars in the space of two weeks, insiders say Director General Bakhurst will be left with little option but talk to Noel.

Dancing With The Stars judge Arthur Gourounlian, breakfast host Carl Mullan and TV’s Baz Ashmawy have been linked to 2FM’s new schedule — all of whom are on the books of NK Management.

A station insider told The Irish Sun: “Noel is in the driving seat now — and he is no fan of DG Kevin Bakhurst after what he said last year.

“Stars like Doireann Garrihy were given the option of choosing between RTE and Noel Kelly, and they chose Noel. That’s what you’re seeing in the past two weeks with all these defections.

“So if 2FM desperately needs big stars to replace the talent they’ve so publicly lost — people like Arthur, Carl, or Baz — then Kevin Bakhurst is going to have to deal with Noel.”

However, due to RTE’s recent financial woes, station insiders are scratching their heads at media reports suggesting 2FM were in talks to poach “possible big-name established DJs, who might be tempted to join the team”.

An RTE source said: “What planet are these people on? RTE is broke! There is no cash to poach any big-name DJs from anywhere.

“Any temporary hires now will need to be internal, with people already inside the RTE tent.

“2FM can’t even afford its own big names. They’re leaving the station. Bakhurst had repeatedly spoken about slashing salaries.

“The idea that RTE has a blank cheque book to go hiring well-paid presenters from rival commercial stations, like Jim Jim Nugent, is plain crazy.

“Never mind that these established presenters would have to wave goodbye to the lucrative nixers they do on the side because of RTE’s new Register of Interests.”

This Friday sees both The 2 Johnnies and Doireann Garrihy host their final shows on 2FM.

LAST DAY

A station insider told The Irish Sun to expect “smiles all around” from the departing talent and their former RTE bosses, with both sides agreeing to keep it cordial.

2FM are desperate to avoid the negative publicity from previous departures — including former presenters Keith Walsh, who was axed from the breakfast show after five years.

7

7

7

He later branded RTE a “toxic environment” to work in.

Former weekend host Louise McSharry said she “felt like a piece of trash” after her programme was axed and she wasn’t even allowed to host her final shows.

NO BUBBLES

The 2FM insider told us: “RTE don’t want a repeat of that. So The 2 Johnnies and Doireann both got gushing tributes from RTE in the releases announcing their departures.

“There will be nothing but smiles this week. But you won’t be seeing any champagne corks flying on Friday for their last day, as RTE is supposed to be skint.”

Sources say that 2FM’s breakfast show “will continue with Donncha O’Callaghan and Carl Mullan in the short term, after Doireann Garrihy’s departure and a new schedule is announced”.

They added: “They won’t want to over-emphasise her importance. But there was a chemistry between all three hosts and you can’t recreate that.

“Expect a short-term female stand-in for now, but that show is over.”

‘CASE-BY-CASE’

Last year, Bakhurst vowed he would not deal with Mr Kelly — who also represents Claire Byrne, Joe Duffy and Kathryn Thomas — when negotiating future pay deals with presenters on the talent agent’s books.

After axing plans for Late Late host Ryan Tubridy to return to RTE Radio One, the new DG said during a number of interviews that he believed Tubs had been “badly advised” throughout the high-profile controversy.

Bakhurst said: “I don’t want to black-ball any one individual, as these people have businesses to run and they employ people, but it is not my intention to deal directly with Noel Kelly when negotiating with RTE presenters represented by him regarding their contracts.

“I will deal with contract negotiations on a case-by-case basis.”