Ray D'Arcy - Television Career

Television Career

D'Arcy replaced Ian Dempsey as the presenter of The Den, RTÉ's flagship children's television series, from 1990 to 1998. His career in children's television later featured in the 2008 documentary Best Bitz From Back Den. D'Arcy also presented the secondary school quiz show Blackboard Jungle at the time, and later moved onto presenting 2Phat, a youth music quiz. In addition, he presented the UTV and RTÉ collaborative travel show, Bon Voyage! for one season.

In 2005 D'Arcy took over presenter duties at the International Rose of Tralee festival which he went on to present for a number of years. On 1 April 2010, after five years as presenter, D'Arcy announced his decision to quit so that he could spend more time with his family as they grew older.

D'Arcy has presented a number of special one-off events, including Ireland's version of the Test The Nation franchise and the Irish Young Scientist Awards. Until 2005 he presented You're a Star, the talent contest to find Ireland's entrant for the Eurovision Song Contest. He hosted Eurosong 2008 in The University of Limerick Concert Hall. He presented an edition of The Panel on 6 November 2008. In 2008 he ruled out applying to host The Late Late Show, despite being linked to the primetime slot.

On 1 December 2008, he announced on his radio show that he would be participating in the second season of Celebrity Bainisteoir, in which he managed Rathangan GAA, a team from Rathangan, County Kildare. On The Saturday Night Show in 2010, D'Arcy took on Enda Kenny. 'vowing he would leave Ireland' after the February 2011 general elections if Kenny became Taoiseach. When Enda Kenny became Taoiseach Ray promptly changed his tune.

Read more about this topic:  Ray D'Arcy

Famous quotes containing the words television and/or career:

    Never before has a generation of parents faced such awesome competition with the mass media for their children’s attention. While parents tout the virtues of premarital virginity, drug-free living, nonviolent resolution of social conflict, or character over physical appearance, their values are daily challenged by television soaps, rock music lyrics, tabloid headlines, and movie scenes extolling the importance of physical appearance and conformity.
    Marianne E. Neifert (20th century)

    I restore myself when I’m alone. A career is born in public—talent in privacy.
    Marilyn Monroe (1926–1962)