Running time 2 hours Language(s) English Hosted by Marian Finucane | Country Ireland Home station RTÉ Radio 1 | |
Genre News and current affairs, lifestyle | ||
The Marian Finucane Show is an Irish radio programme, presented by Marian Finucane. It airs Saturday - Sunday at 11:00 to 13:00. According to statistics from 2009, it was then the highest-rating weekend radio show in Ireland. When Finucane is away, Rachael English or Charlie Bird presents the programme.
Contents
History
The show started in 1999 after the retirement of veteran broadcaster Gay Byrne. She had moved from her Liveline slot which she had had since the late 1970s.
The programme stayed in that early morning slot from 09:00 to 10:00 until 2005. Then the programme was replaced by RTÉ 2fm DJ Ryan Tubridy. His new programme The Tubridy Show, was similar in format keeping old items such as her book club. Her programme was then moved to a weekend slot from 11:00 to 13:00.
In 2001, the political career of Fianna Fáil minister Joe Jacob was destroyed when he was unable to explain to Finucane and her listeners what people should do in the event of a nuclear explosion at Sellafield.
Format
The show begins with Finucane's signature tune. She speaks over the music saying:
Hello there, and a very good-morning to you!
When the tune stops she previews the newspapers of that day.
The programme continues on with interviews, human interest stories, consumer and lifestyle news as well as panel discussions on issues of the week. In the second hour, there are typically guests in studio or by telephone link. The show has been a public forum for serious issues such as the Commission to Inquire into Child Abuse and Shell to Sea campaign.
At the end of the Sunday programme, entertainment journalists preview the coming week in television and film. Michael Dwyer was a regular contributor to this slot.
The programme usually ends at around 12:55, allowing a weather forecast from Met Éireann.