Pat Kenny SLAMS claims that his new TV3 show is sexist

Pat Kenny has slammed claims that his new TV3 show is sexist.

The TV star’s new current affairs programme caused controversy after it was revealed that it would be called Pat Kenny Tonight, despite being co-hosted by news anchor Colette Fitzpatrick.

However, Pat has now hit back at the claims, and said that it was purely a marketing decision – and that the show’s responsibilities will be shared equally between them.

“What do you do, what do you call it? The Pat and Colette Show? The PC show, the politically correct show? I think it was a decision to use my name as a marketing lead, but Colette will be an integral part of the show.

Hitting back: Pat defended the show’s decision to exclude Colette from the title | TV3

“I will see situations arising, probably fairly soon, where I will not be involved in it at all and she’ll be very much involved in the show. It will be shared equally.

“If I fall down with the flu, Colette will host the entire show and if she falls down with the flu, I’ll host it. There is an equality and an evolution of roles that will happen over the run of the show,” he told the Herald.

The former Late Late Show host also admitted that his name was solely used in the title to let audiences know that he was back on the telly, after making the move to TV3.

“She’s the young one and I’m the more mature person. I think it was just: ‘Pat’s back on telly’. Colette’s on telly all the time so it’s just to let people know. People also probably have a certain affinity already with what I have done, so they’re expecting a bit of that,” he said.

Speaking about moving to TV3 after working with RTÉ for 41 years, the presenter admitted that he’s prepared to go head-to-head with RTÉ One, after it was revealed that Brendan O’Connor’s show Cutting Edge is expected to air at the same time.

“They seem to be very serious about maybe going a little more head-to-head with RTE One, that seems to be the philosophy.

“It reminds me a bit of going to Newstalk. It’s a much leaner management structure, you talk to the people who can make the decisions very much more easily than in RTE.

“RTE is an old organisation. It’s structured in a particular way so I’ve no doubt that Dee (Forbes) is going to refine all that.”

Defence: Colette also denied the sexism claims | VIPIRELAND.COM

The show will be filmed in front of a live audience of 150 people, and will delve into hot topics of the day, including discussions about repealing the Eighth Amendment, and a Budget 2017 special.

Meanwhile, Pat’s co-host Colette is adamant that she has no problem with her name not being in the title of their show, because Pat has more experience than her.

“It has nothing to do with gender, genuinely. I always knew the show was going to be called Pat Kenny Tonight because, without sounding ageist, Pat has more experience than me.

“He’s 68 years of age. He has nearly three decades on me so obviously he is the lead role on this. It doesn’t mean I’m going to be doing very little, I have a substantial role. It’s not a sexism row, full stop,” she added.

Pat Kenny Tonight starts tonight, Wednesday October 5, at 9.30pm on TV3.