Ryan Tubridy repays 150,000 euro at centre of RTE pay scandal

Irish broadcaster Ryan Tubridy has repaid RTE a sum of 150,000 euro he received as part of a controversial payment deal made in 2020.

Tubridy was to be paid a total 225,000 over three years by the national broadcaster as part of a deal to top up his salary, which was not disclosed by RTE.

The presenter was paid two instalments of 75,000 euro by RTE for personal appearances for commercial sponsor Renault as part of the contentious deal.

The deal involved Tubridy making three appearances per year at Renault events. RTE executives previously said Renault paid Tubridy the first 75,000 payment, but then pulled out of the tripartite deal.

The payments were not disclosed by RTE in its annual accounts as salary payments.

Tubridy left Ireland’s national broadcaster following weeks of controversy relating to the organisation publicly under-reporting payments to him.

Tubridy was also the long-time host of RTE’s flagship Late Late Show on Irish TV.

In a statement issued on behalf of Mr Tubridy on Friday, he said: “Earlier today I made a payment of 150,000 euro to RTE.

“I made this payment through my solicitor, without any discussions with RTE – or with anyone acting on their behalf – and without condition.

“I have said on various occasions that I intended making this payment and I’m happy to have been able to do so today.”

RTE was mired in controversy after it emerged in June 2023 that it under-reported fees paid to Tubridy and failed to correctly disclose 345,000 euro of payments to him between 2017 and 2022.

Tubridy, who now presents a show on Virgin Radio UK, previously said he would offer to pay back the payments at the centre of the controversy.

RTE director general Kevin Bakhurst previously said he would welcome a repayment of 150,000 euro from Tubridy and his agent, Noel Kelly, over unfulfilled commercials events the broadcaster had underwritten.

He told an Oireachtas committee in July 2023 that there is probably no legal obligation for them to do so.

The furore led to further disclosures about RTE’s internal financial, accounting and governance practices and its expenditure on corporate hospitality for advertising clients.

The Government carried out two separate external reviews of RTE while a forensic auditor examined the broadcaster’s accounts.

The Public Accounts Committee and Media Committee also conducted their own probes into the affair.

In a statement, RTE said: “RTE can confirm that it has received payment of 150,000 euro from Ryan Tubridy via his solicitor this afternoon.

“RTE welcomes the payment and would like to thank Ryan Tubridy for making it.”