RTE presenter Sinead Kennedy says she is “hopeful” Winning Streak will return next year as she can’t bear to think of saying goodbye to the iconic game show.
Some fear the Saturday night viewing tradition, co-hosted by Sinead and Marty Whelan, is at risk after it was decided not to air it on its usual autumn slot this year.
The National Lottery said the long-running show is unlikely to be back on our screens before late 2023.
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Sinead told the Irish Sunday Mirror: “I don’t have a crystal ball so I don’t know. But I know Marty and I would both love it to come back.
“I was out the other night and the number of young people asking me about Winning Streak was unreal.
“They are not the age group I would associate with it.
“It was such a staple part of Saturday nights for 30 years.
“It’s a long running game show that stole part of people’s hearts.
“People from anywhere and everywhere rocked up and won a chunk of money, there was great money to be had.
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“It’s hard to replace it because there’s nothing like it, a nice fun hour of TV.
“But the truth is I don’t know any more than anyone else.
“I’m just hoping that when it’s safe to do so we will have the audience back and contestants.
“And I will break out the sequins again.”
Former children’s TV host Sinead, 38, has brought her own quirky style to day time television.
She said: “I’ve always been into style, always done my own thing, I don’t feel pressure at all in that regard.
“Looking back at the platinum hair, nose ring, tattoos... going into Winning Streak I thought ‘this is going to be fun’.
“I felt myself maybe I should dress kind of differently to suit the programme, then I realised that is not what I’m hired for.
“I am who I am, I was given this job because I am me, so I just went back to being me.
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“Coming to the Today Show you’re trying to find your niche because this is not a Saturday night show, so you’re trying to tone it down.
“There are less sequins, although I do love my sequins. I don’t over think it, I just wear what I like.
“In real life if you saw me I’m like a slob – big oversized jumpers, leggings.
“Style is such a personal thing but you can also have fun with it.
“I got it wrong a number of times, but sure the hair grows back...”
The Today Show has wrapped for the summer break but Sinead is back on our screens next week with a three-part RTE special, Zoo Live.
The programme will broadcast live from a purpose-built studio at Dublin Zoo’s African Savanna with celebrity guests. Sinead revealed: “I’m buzzing for it. There’s months of planning gone into it. It’s a once-in-a-lifetime type of gig to get.
“I must be one of the jammiest people in television because I’ve had some lovely gigs. Long may it last.”
“I absolutely love animals. I’ll be presenting with the giraffes in the background, that’s magical.
“I first got the call pre-Covid so it’s taken two years, but we’re finally here.
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“We will have Doireann Garrihy, Kevin McGaharn, Jedward... they will be shovelling poo and getting down and dirty with the animals.
“They are filming this week and then come back on the show and tell us about it. I think it sounds like everyone’s dream, a day as a zookeeper.
“Plus I love live TV, there’s nothing like live, it’s my bread and butter.
“Anything that can go wrong will go wrong – and we are working with animals too, so hey.”
Sinead revealed she was torn between wanting to be a vet or a TV presenter when she was young – but opted for TV when she realised vets have to put animals to sleep.
She also revealed there is no animal that she does not like.
The Cork native added: “I wouldn’t be afraid of lizards, but I wouldn’t be going out and getting them as pets either.
“I love the big cats and wolves, they’re so, so beautiful. I could watch them all day, the way they move, the power of their gait. With this show you are getting to see the zoo behind closed doors, what the animals get up to when it’s closed to the public.”
Dublin Zoo is running an online competition to name its new baby Red Panda and the winner will be announced on next week’s show. Sinead said: “The way they always like to do it is to give the animal a name that reflects where they’re from.
“The Red Panda originates in Nepal – so people need to do a bit of research, get the creative juices going.
“The winner not only gets the joy of naming a Red Panda, they also win a family pass to the zoo for a year so they can visit as well.”
When it comes to her 14-month-old daughter Indie Sinead admits she’s besotted.
But she said life can be tough because her naval officer husband Conor Kirwan is based in Belgium.
She added: “She’s the best thing that ever happened to us, she’s an absolute dream boat. She’s changed my life in every way, I’m loving being a mam.
“The long distance thing is a little bit difficult, but for us it was always our reality, either when he was in Cork I was in Dublin, or he’s overseas...
“His job and my job meant we always spent chunks of time away from each other.
“With Indie now he misses her so much, he is seeing as much of her as possible, as much as we can work it around work and travel and everything else.
“There are a lot of video calls, he sees her every day doing bathtime and bedtime stories – even though I’m the one physically doing it he’s there too.
“It’s not ideal but it’s our reality. We knew it was the way it was going to be, and it’s not going to last forever.”
Sinead also told how returning to work after extended maternity leave was gut-wrenching.
She said: “It was very hard to leave her, I found it very difficult to hand her over to the child minder.
“There were tears – I cried all the way into work for the first few days.
“But my childminder is phenomenal, Indie loves it, she’s so happy there.
“I know she’s going to go off and have a great day.”
- Zoo Live is on RTE One on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday June 7-9 at 7
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