Newstalk 106-108 fm’s Breakfast programme will change for the summer season as Ivan Yates joins Claire Byrne from Tuesday, May 19th to co-present the two and a half hour news and current affairs programme.
The programme will offer a fresh early morning approach to news, current affairs and business for the summer audience and Claire and Ivan will deal with all of the serious issues in these serious times. Ivan brings a wealth of experience in politics and current affairs to the programme.
From 6.30am, Business Editor Conor Brophy kicks off the show with a business briefing with national and international stories. From 7.00am, Claire and Ivan will then cover the latest news and developments on all of the important topics of the day ensuring listeners are fully briefed for the day ahead.
Ivan joins Newstalk 106-108 fm at a key political time as the country faces into local, European and by-elections in the coming weeks. In recent months Ivan has enjoyed standing in and hosting over 30 Newstalk drivetime shows. He is looking forward to presenting Breakfast with Claire, commenting “Whilst I’m an early morning person I’m used to waking at 6am and not 4am!”
Ivan will be relocating from his Enniscorthy home to Dublin to co-present the show. “I am really looking forward to working on Breakfast and facing this new challenge – I’ll be bringing to the programme a view that isn’t that of a journalist but one of a businessman, a former public representative and of course informed by my time in Government and in Parliament. I’m particularly enthused about the freedom Newstalk allows to stimulate comment, analysis, opinion and national debate” he said.
Claire Byrne is also looking forward to the changes on Breakfast. “The time is right to build on the success we’ve achieved so far with the show. Newstalk is changing with the times and having met Ivan, I am looking forward to the next phase in the development of the station and the programme.” she said.
Ger Gilroy, who has co-presented Breakfast for the last three years, is moving to a senior editorial role within Newstalk. Additionally every Friday from 7.00pm Ger will reunite with the Off The Ball team to present another new chapter in Irish sports radio.
Announcing the new programme team Newstalk Chief Executive Frank Cronin said; “Breakfast is a key show for the station and we are making Newstalk’s Breakfast the best offering for serious news and current affairs in the morning. Ivan Yates is a fantastic addition to our line up of presenters and he is committed to Newstalk’s promise in delivering the best talk radio.”
