Virgin Media correspondent Richard Chambers has given a rare insight into his relationship with author Louise O’Neill.
The couple’s romance began online after they mutually followed each other on Instagram and Twitter and began messaging each other.
When Louise came to Dublin from her native Cork in 2018 to promote her book Almost Love, Richard decided to ask her out for a drink.
Speaking exclusively to Goss.ie at the Virgin Media New Season launch, Richard gushed about Louise, giving a rare insight into their four-year relationship.
Richard admitted that the author has been “brilliant” to him and his fellow Virgin Media correspondents and friends, Gavan Reilly and Zara King, who are currently promoting their podcast The Group Chat.
“It’s brilliant to have someone in your life who is brilliant for advice, who has been through a huge amount of scrutiny, and who has been in the public eye for as long as Louise has,” he said.
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Richard gushed: “Nothing that I do is in comparison to what [Louise] does. I’m a news correspondent and she’s an amazing author and a brilliant speaker and all of those things, amongst her many other talents.”
“She’s been brilliant. It was particularly important for me when I was doing the book [A State of Emergency] and even stuff like doing the podcast [The Group Chat] – Louise is a huge listener to podcasts.”
“The best thing I’d say about Louise is that she would not hold anything back, criticism wise or advice wise. That might drive other people insane, but it’s brilliant to have someone who’s really honest,” he admitted.
“She’d ‘Oh, why didn’t you do that? Why didn’t you ask this and that in that podcast episode?,’ or ‘I love what you did in this episode, would you do more of that in the future?’”
“But particularly around the book, [Louise] was just brilliant for advice on how to handle everything, all of the stress and concern, the worries about going to publication and stuff like that,” Richard continued.
“She’s just a rock of sense, and a real just incredible person to have in your corner for anything like that, I have to say.”
Richard’s Virgin Media colleague Zara chimed in to agree, stating that Louise has been “a very good friend to us all”.
“She has been incredibly supportive to all of us. Louise is just such a good bouncing board and has been such a brilliant friend to all of us. I totally echo [what Richard said].”
The second season of The Group Chat airs today, and the first season will air on Virgin Media Two tonight at 11pm.
