This week RTÉ boss, Dan Healy spoke about presenter, Louise McSharry’s departure from 2FM last year after 11 years at the station. Speaking with The Irish Independent he spoke about how it was a “really difficult” decision, especially as they usually give staff anything from 9 to 12 month notice in advance.
This afternoon, Louise has responded to the interview in a series of tweets; “I’m very sorry to go on about this but I was not given right of reply here (which RTÉ were given in plenty of time ahead of the singular interview I gave about this) so I have to respond here.”
“I was told on Tuesday my contract was not being renewed. I was told they would follow my lead in terms of announcement, but that I needed to keep it a secret in the meantime. That day I submitted the statement I planned to release and said I wanted to do it on Friday.”
Continuing Louise shared that she felt uncomfortable keeping this news from her team, as well as making plans for future shows and interviews when she knew she was leaving; “The response was very slow, and eventually I was told they wanted me to wait a further week. This meant that I would a) have to be alone with this news, b) do my show that weekend and have planning meetings with my team, who were totally unawares, pretending everything was normal.”
She also added that that she didn’t want the news to leak to the papers as she was uncomfortable not to announce the departure herself; “I deserved to seek support from friends and family in such a personally difficult situation. Not forced to be silent ‘in case of leaks’ as I was instructed.”
“I did what I felt was the only option to me, and shared the news in a very respectful manner. Clearly this was not in line with whatever announcements or strategy my former boss had in mind, but in this situation I felt it was appropriate to look after myself.”
Finally Louise added; “I have never been anything but professional and respectful of RTÉ up to this point, and I will absolutely not allow Dan Healy to suggest I’m responsible for the way I have been treated as he did in this article saying: ‘So take responsibility for your own actions too sometimes.’”
In the interview, Dan also spoke about Louise being unable to finish her show was something that had “never happened before” and added; “How the talent will react to these decisions, I’ve no control over. But I know it’s got to be tough.”
He also shared;“Louise is very talented. I worked with Louise at Newstalk when she was younger; she came to iRadio with me and she was really good there. She’s had numerous roles here in 2FM. ”