TV star Maia Dunphy has said Ryan Tubridy told her last August he was leaving the Late Late Show.
Ms Dunphy jumped to the defence of the RTE star over claims he left the Late Late Show due to non-disclosed overpayments.
The producer and broadcaster divulged details of a conversation she had with Ryan last year in which she revealed he confided in her he was leaving his coveted gig back in August.
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Maia attended a media event with Ryan last year shortly after her mother's passing. She felt “overwhelmed” at the RTE autumn launch and was taken outside by the Late Late Show host for air.
She wrote on Twitter: "It was at the RTE Autumn launch. I’m not usually at it, but had to go to promote a show. I was a bit overwhelmed, as it was the first media event I’d been at since my Mum died. Ryan sensed I was struggling and took me out for some air. He’s good like that. That’s when he told me."
The 46-year-old said she wanted to clear up issues surrounding Tubridy's decision to quit the Late Late. Her statement aligns with Ryan's claim his decision to leave the gig was "deeply personal".
The mum-of-one added she had "no skin in this game" but wanted to dispel rumours surrounding his departure. She also defended her decision not to share this revelation when the scandal initially broke.
She responded to a Twitter user: "’I'm saying it now because I didn’t know that anyone would be silly enough to think he’d leave because of this. Why wouldn’t he leave his radio show too?"
