The 2 Johnnies have slammed critics of the radio show following their shock exit from 2FM.
Earlier this week, the comedy duo, who hosted Drive It with The 2 Johnnies for two years, revealed the would be ending the show on May 31st.
Speaking to Brendan O’Connor on RTÉ Radio 1 about their shock exit, they hit back at the criticisms of their show.
Brendan commented that “the reviewers didn’t always love ye.”
They calmly replied: “Ah sure, don’t mind them.”
Johnny Smacks asked: “Who’s reviewing us? Someone who’s 65 tuning into 2FM, a youth radio station.”
“They’re not going to like it,” he continued.
“I’m not majorly into classical music. If I went to a concert of classical music, would I enjoy it if it its not something I’m into? I don’t think so.”
“So I don’t really mind,” he added.
Johnny B continued: “Like your comedy show is being reviwed by someone who’s never worked in comdey, never made a show.”
“You wouldn’t put Mary Berry on the Sunday game,” he added jokingly.
The announcement of their exit came right after social media star and radio host Doireann Garrihy revealed she was leaving 2FM, with Jennifer Zamparelli following suit just this week.
Johnny Smacks and Johnny B took over the show replacing DJ Jenny Greene in 2022. However, like Doireann Garrihy, who just announced she is also leaving this month, the pair also had a successful podcast on the side as well as other commercial deals.
Head of RTÉ 2Fm, Dan Healy said of the news: “After two very successful years, The 2 Johnnies are leaving 2FM. Johnny B and Johnny Smacks have brought their original South Tipp humour and interesting music choices to 2FM audiences right across Ireland.”
“The listenership for the drivetime show has been very strong from the very start and the most recent listenership results continued that trend. They’ve been a great part of the 2FM family here and we’ll be sad to see them go but wish them well as they continue their adventures”.
Speaking about leaving the station Johnny Smacks said, “We’ve had unreal craic over the last two and half years working on 2FM. We came in with the idea to have a laugh on the afternoons and cheer people up and get more mad scones on the radio from every county in Ireland telling stories and auld yarns. After two and a half years my jaws need a rest from all the laughing.
“Thank you to our unbelievable team who backed us and brought our crazy ideas to life with us, to our brother Aindriú de Paor, our producers/mammies Anita and Caroline and to our on-air sister Aifric O’Connell, the show wouldn’t be what it is without you thank you so much. And the biggest thank you of all is for you the listeners, the show was all about ye, ye made it what it was.”
“So, to Bob in Waterford, geezer John, Mouse and the lads, Pip in Toronto and all our listeners, thanks for laughing along with us. There’s great people working in 2FM and we wish them all the success in the world. Who knows, we may be back on the radio someday, but for now as we say on the show… We’re out the gap!”.
Johnny B added: “We’ve loved our time on the show. The team are legends, our sister Aifric O Connell, the great Aindriú de Paor, Producers Caroline, and Anita.
“Our listeners have been the funniest, maddest, soundest crowd alive. The stories they’ve come on air to tell have been outrageous. It’s made me proud to be Irish to talk with the nation every evening. The Parish Quiz has thrown up some wild characters, we’ve tried to reach every inch of the island of Ireland. We’ll keep the mixer going and the ball pucked out”.
The duo also shared the news on their Instagram page.
Dan Healy continued: “I want to acknowledge the great content created on the drivetime show by Aifric O’Connell, Aindriú De Paor and Emma Power who shared the airwaves with The 2 Johnnies over the period. Also, a very big thanks to the producers who worked on the show particularly Caroline Clarke and Anita Ward. We are fortunate to have such great talent working at 2FM and with them the station will continue to prosper”.
The pair insisted that if they had not left the station, they “would have been burnt out”.
Johnny B and Johnny Smacks spoke to Brendan O’Connor on RTÉ Radio 1 and opened up about their shock exit.
“We haven’t time,” Johnny B admitted. “To be honest, we’ve been working seven days a week for the last two years, and we’re working all day today and all day tomorrow again on our new show.”
“We can’t stop doing our podcast, we can’t stop doing our patreon podcast, we can’t stop doing live gigs. Something had to go like. We could’ve stopped doing telly, but that’s very sporadic work.
“So if we ever want to have our lives back, unfortunately radio was the one that had to go. And we loved doing it, Brendan.”
