"IT'S the end of The Gay Byrne Show as we know it". Gay Byrne said last night, confirming reports that after 24 years the programme will be radically changed on its return in the autumn.
As part of a reorganisation of the Radio 1 schedule for the autumn, senior management at RTE is proposing that Pat Kenny take over The Gay Byrne Show time slot and that Joe Duffy be replaced as a presenter.
The Pat Kenny Show would begin at 9.10 am. and continue until 11 a.m., while The Gay Byrne Show would begin at 11 a.m. and continue until 12.30 pm. It would be hosted on Mondays and Tuesdays by a presenter from 2FM.
Joe Duffy, it is understood, would continue to work on outside broadcast reports. However, it is anticipated that the revised Gay Byrne Show would have a much greater music content.
Mr Byrne said management at the station had asked him to resume presenting the programme five days a week, but he did not want to do so. "I'm enjoying the days off," he said.
However, he agreed to do whatever else RTE management wanted him to do. He agreed that continuity of presenter was preferable over the five days, and that a music programme was a good idea as "there is much too much talk from Morning Ireland to Marian [Finucane]." He wondered at the continuing RTE efforts to regain the audiences it had "in the halcyon days of monopoly".
Mr Byrne has already had discussions on the matter with RTE's Director of Programming, Mr Kevin Healy, and the Assistant Director General, Mr Bob Collins.
He said it was pointed out to him that, whereas Joe Duffy had worked "extremely well" as a presenter on Mondays and Tuesdays, lately it had become clear people preferred him as an outside broadcaster. He said it had been his own idea that Mr Duffy should present the programme in the first place.
Speaking from Inishmaan last night, where he was preparing for an outside broadcast, Mr Duffy said he had heard nothing about the changes "but rumours and rumours of rumours and counter rumours.
He said, however, he would not be "scapegoated by RTE", pointing out that independent figures for the mornings he presented The Gay Byrne Show had suffered significantly less of a drop than on other days.
When he took over presentation of the programme on Mondays and Tuesdays in September 1994 he was warned to expect "a drastic reduction" in the listening figures, as they said that "even if Elvis himself came back he couldn't match Gay's figures." But there had been no drastic drop in figures.
Pat Kenny told The Irish Times last night he was unaware of what was being proposed. He had simply been assured by Mr Healy that "there will be a place for me in the autumn schedule". He did not wish to comment on any possible changes until they had been confirmed.
While agreeing that "a fundamental review" of Radio 1's autumn schedule was being considered, Mr Healy would not comment on any proposed changes. He explained that meetings about the autumn schedule had been taking place this week, and that no final decisions had yet been made.
