LIVE: Newstalk presenter Kieran Cuddihy joins RTÉ amid Liveline speculation

Newstalk broadcaster Kieran Cuddihy is set to join RTÉ Radio, following confirmation to staff that he is leaving the station after more than a decade on air.

An internal email circulated to Newstalk employees on Thursday evening confirmed that Cuddihy’s show that day was his last hosting The Hard Shoulder, the daily news and current affairs programme he has fronted since 2020.

Cuddihy, who joined the station in 2011, first made his mark as a reporter before moving into current affairs presenting and later becoming part of the Newstalk Breakfast team. He took over The Hard Shoulder from Ivan Yates four years ago.

In addition to his radio work, the Kilkenny native has presented Virgin Media’s The Tonight Show since February, and recently moderated the first televised presidential debate of the campaign.

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The announcement of his departure came just hours after RTÉ revealed that long-time broadcaster Ray D’Arcy is leaving his daily afternoon slot on RTÉ Radio 1 after 11 years.

It is not yet known which programme Cuddihy will front at RTÉ, though industry speculation in recent weeks has linked him to Liveline, following Joe Duffy’s retirement in June. It also remains unclear whether Cuddihy will continue his role with The Tonight Show on Virgin Media.