Derek Mooney has admitted he would have loved to have hosted the Late Late Show.
The RTE broadcaster, 56, who joined RTE as a runner at just 15, has been with the station for 41 years and worked in many different departments, including the sports department and current affairs.
“I threw my hat in the ring and they kept throwing it back out again,” he said on Ireland AM today.
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“Everyone was ruling themselves out but I was ruling myself in.
“Who wouldn’t want the Late Late show?
“I would have loved it.
“Because my dream was to work in RTE and the Late Late Show was the big show and nothing has changed. It’s still the big show.
But the radio host said he wishes Patrick Kielty the best in his new role at the helm.
“I think he will be fantastic and bring something new and dynamic.
“I think he’ll be good.”
Mooney told how he worked up the ranks at RTE.
“I worked in sports, religious programmes, current affairs programmes - you name it.
“I did every job you could possibly imagine.
“I made a lot of tea for people.
“I brought a lot of dinners to people.”
“I went to school at the back gate of RTE. I used to drive them mad.”
But the presenter’s love of nature made him a household name after he initially pitched a 6 week programme on nature to Radio One, which was accepted.
Mooney is now fronting a new RTE show, Back from the Brink, which will be potentially seen in 52 countries.
Hailed as a sort of Eurovision for nature, the two part programme starts this Sunday.
The broadcaster says that climate change is an issue.
He said: “Climate change is real.
“Global warming is real.”
“I have a real appreciation for the natural world.
The broadcaster says his nature programmes are all about sending out a message about what can be done.
“It’s fine to bash people across the head with the facts and figures…
“But really if you don’t explain the basics to people they won’t be able to fully understand what’s going on.”
Back from the Brink (part 1) airs on RTE this Sunday at 6.30pm
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