*Rachael English.
SHANNON native Rachael English has been announced as the new presenter of RTÉ Radio One’s News at One.
Rachael will take on the mantle as the new presenter of RTÉ Radio One’s lunchtime programme from July 15th succeeding Bryan Dobson. The show attracts 300,000 listeners daily and was presented by Dobbo up until his retirement at the beginning of May.
Since 2010, Rachael has been a presenter on Ireland’s most listened to radio show, Morning Ireland. She joined RTÉ 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 RTÉ Television News. Her first full-time presenting job was on Five Seven Live on RTÉ Radio 1. She presented The Late Debate and Saturday View before joining Morning Ireland as a presenter.
She has also worked on a number of special series. These include The Constituency, which focused on the issues and candidates in all of the Dail’s constituencies, and The Big Science Debate, where an expert panel discussed the ethical challenges presented by scientific developments.
For the past twenty two years, she has been a presenter on RTÉ Radio 1’s General Election results programmes. She has also presented coverage of local, European and presidential election counts and has anchored election coverage from Belfast, London and Washington.
As a reporter and presenter, she has worked on a vast range of national and international stories, from the signing of the Good Friday Agreement to the Olympics Games to the Cop 26 Climate Summit. She was also given the honour of presenting a tribute show for Marian Finucane following the beloved presenter’s death in January 2020.
In 2022, Ms English was inducted into the IMRO Awards Radio Hall of Fame. She is also the author of seven novels, most recently the top-ten bestseller, Whatever Happened to Birdy Troy? Her career in journalism began in Clare FM.
Speaking about the move, Ms English said: “One of my first jobs in RTÉ was as a reporter on the News at One. It was also where I first worked as a stand-in presenter. I’ve always hoped that one day I’d get to return, so I’m delighted to be doing so now. It feels like coming home.
“It’s been a privilege to present Morning Ireland, and I’d like to thank the colleagues who have made getting up at 4am bearable. I’m looking forward to working with the fantastic team on the News at One”.
Managing Director of News and Current Affairs Deirdre McCarthy said: “Rachael is a highly respected journalist and outstanding broadcaster. I am delighted that she will now be joining the exceptional team of journalists on our flagship News at One programme.
“Recently inducted into the IMRO Radio Awards Hall of Fame, Rachael is very familiar to our listeners from presenting Morning Ireland. She will continue to bring her focus and integrity in this new role, representing the public interest on the programme.
“She is exceptional at asking the probing questions, the questions the listeners want answers to and holding those in power to account. Her extensive broadcast experience along with her measured tone, reassuring and calm delivery will ensure listeners will continue to tune in everyday,” she added.
A past pupil of St Conaires NS and St Patrick’s Comprehensive School, the Comp were among the many well-wishers on social media.
