Today FM‘s Mairead Ronan has hit out at RTE for its decision to axe comedy discussion show, The Panel and for replacing it with something far more serious.
The radio presenter and producer made her debut as a regular guest on The Panel and told the Irish Mirror that Brendan O’Connor’s Cutting Edge is the closest thing to it on air at the moment, but could do with an injection of comedy.
“I was asked to be on the panel by Dara O Briain. I remember saying to him, ‘I’d love to but I don’t think you’ll want me because I’m pregnant’.
“He just said, ‘What are you talking about?’ That was my first time on TV.
“It’s crazy it was nine years ago and it’s crazy the show isn’t on TV anymore. It was so good, it’s something RTE never should have got rid of. It was brilliant.
“It was great fun to do and always had good ratings. It’s just disappointing that it went.
“I would like to see something like it come back. I think the closest thing to it, although it’s much more serious, is Brendan O’Connor’s show. I think maybe it could take a sprinkle of The Panel and make it a bit lighter.
“I think that’s the mix of what The Panel used to be – it’s a bit edgy, fun, topical and talking about things in the news. I think it would be nice to see something like that,” she said.
