Caitriona Perry has announced she’s leaving RTE after 16 years.
The broadcaster will be leaving the public service broadcaster at the end of the month to take on a new international role as Chief Presenter with the BBC – which will see her based in Washington DC.
Taking to social media on Thursday, the mum-of-two penned: “It is with a mix of sadness and excitement that I wish to share that I will soon be leaving RTÉ. Although the line has zipped by, I have worked here for almost 16 years, three quarters of my working life. It is really hard to say goodbye.”
Caitriona continued: “I have made great friends, worked with some incredibly talented people and fantastic experiences and opportunities. I have reported from all over the world and had the chance to witness history in the making, particularly during my time as Washington Correspondent and as a presenter of the SixOne News.”
“It was a tough decision to walk away from RTÉ. It is an institution in Irish life, but I have been offered an incredible opportunity. I’ll be finishing up in RTÉ in the coming weeks and I’m pleased to say that I will be joining the BBC in a new international role, as BBC News Chief Presenter, based in Washington DC.”
“I am passionate about world news and US politics in particular, so it is really exciting to get the opportunity to be at the forefront of the BBC’s coverage, bringing news to a global audience of nearly 500 million people.”
“I’ll start that role at the end of the summer and in the meantime my family and I will be packing up to move back to Washington DC to begin another chapter, picking up where we left off in 2018.”
Caitriona continued: “I wish to say a special thank you to the RTÉ audience, the viewers, listeners and reads who have afforded me the extraordinary privilege of being a public service broadcast journalist. I has been an honour to report on and anchor major news over the years, thank you for your kind words.”
“Thank you also to all of those who have trusted me to tell their stories. As journalists, we rely on your bravery to stand up and speak out.”
“I wish my current SixOne partner David McCullagh, all in the newsroom and the wider RTÉ family the very best for the future.”
“I shall be tuning in from afar, like so many other Irish abroad, and awaiting notifications from the RTÉ app to keep me informed of all the news from home, and I’ll see you soon.”
Caitriona has worked with RTÉ for the past 16 years.
The broadcaster was the RTÉ News Washington correspondent between February 2013 and December 2017.
In January 2018, the mum-of-two took over as co-anchor of RTÉ News: Six One.
