It’s hailed as one of the most listened-to radio shows in Ireland, according to JNLR figures every year.
The latest JNLR figures show 2FM Breakfast with Doireann, Donncha, and Carl had grown in listenership with 149,000 listeners tuning in on weekday mornings – a bump of 17,000 since the previous year.
However, when Breakfast Republic was at the helm they boasted an average of 186,000 listeners.
This is a striking comparison to Hector Ó hEochagáin, who only had 124,000 listeners when he was dropped from the show.
While landing the gig as host of this premium slot, with hosts like Jennifer Zamperelli skyrocketing since their stint on the morning show, there is an undeniable pattern attached when it comes to 2FM breakfast radio.
Unexpected departures, online backlash and now a new law suit, is there a 2FM breakfast show curse?
Here are some of the breakfast show dramas to date:
When Breakfast with Hector Was Cancelled
Hector Ó hEochagáin hosted a much-loved breakfast show on RTÉ 2fm for three years before it got axed in 2013, and has admitted several times in the past that it was a bitter and unexpected ending.
At the time, he told Goss.ie: “The show is gone. Dan Healy made that decision and he has to live with it. The JNLRs speak for themselves.”
“I can say categorically it wasn’t my decision to leave that radio show. A new guy came in to 2FM, he made his decision.”
“It certainly wasn’t my decision as we were doing well, revenue-wise, and had the most popular show on 2FM for 18-35 years olds.”
At the time there was uproar on social media, with listeners demanding he be reinstated.
Instead, Hector was replaced by Republic of Telly stars Jennifer Zamparelli and Bernard O’Shea, alongside radio presenter Keith Walsh.
When Weekend Breakfast with Baz & Lucy Got The Axe
It’s not just weekday breakfast radio that has seen lots of drama.
Lucy Kennedy and Baz Ashmawy co-presented the Saturday and Sunday slots, from 7am – 10am, on 2FM for two years until their show was axed in 2012.
At the time, RTÉ told the Irish Independent that the decision was “part of the ongoing project to reduce the cost base at 2fm”.
In an interview with the Herald in 2012, Lucy revealed that while she was “extremely sad and disappointed” to see the programme get the chop, she understands that “no-one is untouchable.”
Speaking about RTÉ’s decision to cut the show in 2012, Baz said: “The present economic situation has hit everyone in all walks of life and presenters are no different.”
This was another decision that sparked backlash.
The End of Breakfast Republic
Jennifer Zamperelli, Brendan O’Shea and Keith Walsh hosted the longest-running 2FM breakfast show since Ian Dempsey’s record back in 1989.
The popular show, Breakfast Republic, received a shake up in May 2019 when Bernard decided he wanted to step back after five and a half years on the air.
Jennifer then went on to co-host the show with Keith, but the show quickly met the fate of previous shows and got the axe.
Jennifer then got her own daily 2FM show, The Jennifer Zamperelli Show, in the coveted Gerry Ryan slot, and subsequently ended up co-hosting top RTE show Dancing With The Stars.
However, Keith’s ending wasn’t so positive.
Keith has recently claimed that he is owed money from the state broadcaster, claiming he is owed back pay in entitlements he missed out on after being wrongly classified as a contractor.
He told Daily Mail in April: “It brings into question the whole way I was treated. Was I effectively made redundant with no severance? If I should have been an employee, it changes that whole scenario,”
“It was reputational damage too. If you’re looking at it from the outside, I didn’t get another job in RTÉ anywhere.”
When Eoghan McDermott Mysteriously Left 2FM Breakfast with Doireann & Eoghan
Doireann Garrihy and Eoghan McDermott hosted the breakfast show from 2019 until 2021, replacing Breakfast Republic as 2FM Breakfast.
The show was the subject of its own drama when Eoghan mysteriously left without saying goodbye to listeners.
In March of 2021, RTÉ confirmed that Eoghan had left his 2FM role after 3 weeks of “unplanned leave.”
It was reported at the time that the career move came as he planned to relocate to Australia. However, this new job never came to be.
Unlike previous breakfast hosts, Doireann was kept on and was given two new male co-hosts.
Doireann’s Shock Departure from 2FM Breakfast with Doireann, Donnacha & Carl
In a unique situation for RTÉ 2FM, the producers decided to keep Doireann Garrihy on instead of completely updating the breakfast show after Eoghan left.
Producers set up a screen test for Doireann with Donnacha O’Callaghan and Carl Mullan, and the trio have hosted the breakfast show since 2021.
However, after five years hosting radio on 2FM, Doireann announced her shock departure from the station on Wednesday morning.
Explaining her decision, she said: “After 5 years of 2FM Breakfast it’s time for ventures new.”
The fate of Donnacha and Carl on the breakfast show is unknown as generally 2FM producers prefer a clean slate of new presenters when creating a new breakfast show.
No doubt this may have been one of the most popular breakfast shows to date, winning two Gossies for Best Radio Show, and keeping the JNLR figures high throughout their tenure.
But what is the future for Donnach and Carl? Like their predecessors will the show be axed and remodelled? Or will they get a second chance just like Doireann.
When contacted for a comment on the future of 2FM Breakfast, RTÉ reiterated Dan Healy’s statement this morning that said: “Doireann leaves 2FM in good shape and we look forward to building on the success of the breakfast show over the summer months and beyond.”
