Duffy, who hosted the flagship lunchtime show since 1998, announced his exit yesterday after almost four decades at the national broadcaster.
Many have paid tribute to the veteran presenter’s contribution to RTÉ and public life throughout his 37-year career, with Tánaiste Simon Harris describing Duffy as a “national institution” and RTÉ director general Kevin Bakhurst saying Duffy’s Liveline “doesn’t just have its fingers on the pulse, it is the pulse of the nation”.
He is set to reveal what the next chapter of career might hold for him on the Late Late Show tonight, when he will reflect on some of his most memorable moments on air.
Ms O’Callaghan, who was speaking ahead of an annual lunch in Dublin for the Hope Foundation today, a charity that works with vulnerable children in Kolkata, India, said the national broadcaster will be “a poorer place without him”.
She said she was surprised to hear the announcement yesterday afternoon, learning about Duffy’s departure while she was conducting an interview for RTÉ’s Prime Time.
“He’s going to be the busiest man in the world. I mean, he’s got lots of big plans. I think RTÉ will be a poorer place without him, he’s a brilliant broadcaster and he’s also a lovely guy,” she said.
“He always sends cards – if you’ve ever had anything go wrong in your life, Christmas cards. He’s a really good guy.”
She was speaking ahead of the annual lunch for the Hope Foundation, an organisation she has been involved in for “about 20 years” after getting to know the founder Maureen Forrest.
“I’ve always been very conscious of how lucky I am that I have eight healthy children who live in a country where they’ve had a very safe upbringing, and therefore I always very sensitive to children growing up anywhere else where their lives are far more dangerous and far more difficult.”
Hope’s international operations CEO Maura Lennon said the organisation works with some of the most disadvantaged children in Kolkata, delivering education, healthcare, vocational training and child protection programmes.
“Over the last 25 years, we’ve impacted on the lives of over 3.3 million people in Kolkata, but there is lots more to do and we are hugely committed to fulfilling our mission,” she said.
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