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RTÉ
Gay Byrne was a giant in Irish broadcasting and a household name for many years
Renowned Irish broadcaster Gay Byrne has died at the age of 85.
Mr Byrne hosted the Late Late Show for more than 30 years on Irish national broadcaster RTÉ.
RTÉ director general, Dee Forbes, said Mr Byrne had been a household name in Ireland for many years.
“Gay was an exceptional broadcaster whose unique and ground-breaking style contributed so much to the development of radio and television in this country,” she said.
Mr Byrne had been ill for some time.
In a statement, his family said: “It is with sadness that Kathleen, Crona and Suzy wish to announce that their beloved Gay has died peacefully at home today, surrounded by his family.
“We wish to thank everybody for their love and support during Gay’s illness. Particularly the wonderful teams in the Mater Hospital, St Francis Hospice and the Irish Cancer Society.”
Irish president Micheal D Higgins said Mr Byrne was “a man of great charisma, one of the most recognisable faces of Irish broadcasting”.
“Through his work in radio and on television he challenged Irish society, and shone a light not only on the bright but also the dark sides of Irish life,” he said.
The Late Late Show is one of the world’s longest running chat shows.
Byrne hosted it in a relaxed but intelligent manner.
The show made headlines with highlights such as a 1993 interview with Annie Murphy who had a child with the Bishop of Galway, Eamon Casey.
Northern Ireland Secretary Peter Brooke fell foul of the show in 1992 when he was coaxed into singing Oh My Darling Clementine on a day when seven Protestant workmen were killed in an IRA bomb.
The show embraced discussion on divorce, abortion and sexuality.
Gay Byrne also presented a long-running radio show which was first known as the Gay Byrne Hour and the Gay Byrne Show.