Pat Kenny and Brendan O’Connor are set to go head-to-head in a ratings war in the coming months.
It has been revealed that RTÉ bosses have scheduled Brendan O’Connor’s Cutting Edge to rival Pat Kenny’s new current affairs show on TV3 on Wednesday nights.
An insider told the Irish Sun: “The big TV battle this autumn will be Brendan versus Pat.
“RTE will want to blow Pat out of the water on TV3 and trounce him in the ratings. Brendan O’Connor is the guy they want to do it.”
It’s war: RTÉ think Brendan is the perfect person to go against Pat Kenny | ANDRES POVEDA
Pat’s new show, which he will front alongside Colette Fitzpatrick, will air in “early October” on Wednesday nights at 9.30pm. However, Brendan’s Cutting Edge is scheduled to return on October 19 on Wednesdays at 9.35pm for a nine-week run.
“Brendan will make it tough for Pat. Not only is Brendan O’Connor one of the most popular chat show hosts on RTE, his show will be building on the audience of the Nine O’Clock News in a format that is devised to suit Brendan,” an RTÉ insider said.
Despite claims, TV3 sources have banished rumours that Brendan will dominate the ratings war – and are adamant that 68-year-old Pat will succeed due to the nature of his programme.
“If a big story breaks are you going to watch Pat Kenny on the big story or Brendan O’Connor and his panel? The Cutting Edge is coming from another direction,” said a source.
Hitting back: TV3 think Pat will come out the better man in the ratings war | VIPIRELAND.COM
This isn’t the first time two popular current affairs shows have clashed on RTÉ and TV3 – as Claire Byrne Live on RTE1 at 10.35pm and Tonight With Vincent Browne on TV3 at 10.30pm go head-to-head on Monday nights.
In the UK, stations including BBC, Channel 4, ITV and Channel 5 all share scheduling to avoid this problem – but RTÉ and TV3 don’t seem interested in sharing.
When RTE Director General Dee Forbes was asked if the stations would ever consider sharing schedules, she said, “The public has a choice.”
