Virgin Media’s Karen Koster admitted she was 'concerned' about her colleague Muireann O’Connell before their job swap - saying she never wanted to take a job from someone.
Huge changes within Virgin Media Television last year saw some big names such as Glenda Gilson and Anna Daly leave the station, and the end of The Elaine Show.
Meanwhile, Karen and Muireann were among a show swap shake-up that saw Karen move to The Six O'Clock show with Martin King and Muireann take over Ireland AM alongside Alan Hughes and Tommy Bowe.
And whilst Karen was delighted to say goodbye to the 5am alarm, she admits she was just as surprised as everyone else by the huge changes.
“I started having conversations with them around mid-summer and to be honest, my one concern and first question was; what happens to Muireann?
“I wanted to be certain that she was happy with it, that I wasn’t swooping in to take a job from someone.”
The former Xpose presenter says she wasn’t aware of how the changes would affect her colleagues in the beginning.
“They didn’t tell me in the early days that it was going to be a direct swap,” she told RTE Guide.
“I was completely oblivious, to be honest, of the other changes and just focusing on when it was going to pan out and when I could tell Tommy [Bowe] and Alan [Hughes].”
Whilst Muireann remained within the broadcaster, the shake-up did see the departure of a number of Karen’s former colleagues, including Laura Woods.
But the mum-of-three, who celebrated her 40th birthday last year, says she tries not to let the uncertainty of the business worry her.
“It’s unsettling in any job, when big changes are happening, but what can you do?
“It’s out of your control.
“I just try and give it my best but while I take the work seriously I try not to take myself seriously.
“There’s a bigger picture, there’s people who need me at home.
“If my time is up and I have to walk away, then so be it.
“I know I'd be kept busy if I got a call saying I'm not needed on Monday.”
Meanwhile, she says she is content in her new role alongside Martin King four nights a week.
“The four day week is a deal-breaker for me now,” she said.
She is also focused on getting fitter and focusing on her health and well-being heading into the new year.
“I realised that I need to be relatively fit; I have three kids I have to run after and I need to keep up with them.”
