Katja Mia bid farewell to The Six O’Clock Show after almost two years.
She’ll be stepping into the radio studio instead, as she joins Laura Fox in 2FM for the new Drivetime slot kicking off on Tuesday, March 5th. Katja previously covered Bláthnaid Treacy’s weekend slot when she was on maternity leave and clearly fell in love with radio.
Speaking to VIP Magazine, she discusses “welcoming new opportunities”.
“I was so nervous about covering Bláthnaid’s maternity cover, because in the past I used to feel like I had to be an absolute expert at it in order to give it a shot. But the thing is about radio, it is live and no matter how much you rehearse it doesn’t apply.
“It’s all about being like super authentic and just rolling with it, and the more experience I had doing Saturday and Sunday mornings, which was so much fun, I think I just fell in love with it. When I started that on Ireland AM, I was petrified, but then you just do it.
“I feel like I just apply myself to absolutely every job that I do but there’s something that’s super freeing about radio and getting to do it with a co-host, bounce your ideas and your random thoughts off of, it’s so exciting. I’m just welcoming the opportunity with two hands.
“I love doing things that scare me, especially at this stage in my career, so I’ll take it on, and like we can prep and prep so committed just to start on Tuesday at three o’clock and just have the best time.”
Of course, after spending almost four years on TV, it will be a big change for her.
“Immediately the huge difference for me is that I won’t have to glam Monday to Friday, which is a massive relief,” she says,
“Of course I love to glam on the television but doing it every day, well, this is a welcome change. I do think the difference with television is that it is so highly produced, which has its pros and cons as well. There isn’t as much scope to have your own voice out there because the show is about the people.
“We get to interview incredible people, the leaders of pop culture in Ireland, like authors, musicians, and people with amazing human interest stories. So it is a show that is based around the incredible people of Ireland and also international talent. It was never really about us and even the radio show similarly it’s not going to be solely about us, but it’s a great way to let my personality out.”
While she will miss her Six O’Clock Show family, she admits she’s ready for the challenge.
“I’ve done television for so long that I feel so comfortable, I can do it with my eyes closed. I feel super super comfy with cameras around but in a way I am over that comfort stage. I want to be doing something that is really really exciting, something that shakes me up a bit because that is when I perform my best.
“Something I’m super excited about right now is just doing radio and getting a go at it Monday to Friday, which is an incredible opportunity, three o’clock to six o’clock. It’s such an amazing time slot as well, we’re going to be capturing a really big audience!”
Live from 3pm, 2FM Drive gets a fresh new look and feel as Laura Fox takes listeners home, along with Katja Mia.
