Ryan Tubridy has apologised to the Oireachtas, colleagues and listeners over what he described as a 'fog of confusion' surrounding payments from RTÉ. The former Late Late Show host appeared before the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) on Tuesday, alongside his agent Noel Kelly, to address the undisclosed payments scandal.
Mr Tubridy told the PAC that his decision to step down from The Late Late Show was unrelated to the controversy, as he only learned of the issue in May, months after announcing his departure. He expressed disappointment that RTÉ linked his name to the 'fiasco', making him 'the face of a national scandal'.
The controversy began when RTÉ admitted that fees paid to Mr Tubridy were underdeclared by €345,000 over six years. It later emerged that Renault, sponsor of The Late Late Show, paid Mr Tubridy €75,000 in 2020 under a tripartite deal, but then pulled out. RTÉ underwrote two further €75,000 payments for 2021 and 2022, based on a verbal agreement made during a Microsoft Teams meeting in May 2020.
Mr Tubridy rejected claims of a 'secret agreement' with Renault, stating that 'everyone in RTÉ who needed to know knew'. He also denied that he failed to take a pay cut in 2020, saying he accepted a 20% reduction over five years, costing him €525,000. However, Labour TD Alan Kelly challenged this, noting that the Renault payments subsidised the cut.
Mr Tubridy said he was 'very well-paid' but regretted not asking more questions when the underdeclarations were revealed. He confirmed he waived a €120,000 loyalty payment and hopes to return to work at RTÉ, as he remains under contract.
