2022 in Irish television explained

The following is a list of events relating to television in Ireland from 2022.

Events

January

• 28 January – RTÉ One airs the first edition of The Late Late Show to feature a full studio audience since March 2020.^[1]

February

• No events.

March

• 27 March – Nina Carberry and professional dance partner Pasquale La Rocca win series five of Dancing with the Stars.^{[2] [3]}

April

• 11 April – Virgin Media Sport closes after four years on air.
• 12 April – Launch of Virgin Media More, a new channel exclusive to Virgin Media customers featuring first look at Irish and international documentaries, films, dramas and sporting events.^[4]

May

• 13 May –
  • RTÉ lifts its mandate requiring people to wear face masks on its campus.^[5]
  • RTÉ announces details of a Christmas musical for the first time, with Toy Show The Musical to premiere at the Convention Centre in Dublin from 10 to 31 December.^{[6] [7]}
• 19 May – Casting opens for Toy Show The Musical, with girls aged between 11 and 16 being sought to play the lead role.^[8]
• 22 May – RTÉ and the National Lottery confirm Winning Streak will not return in Autumn 2022, and may not be back on television until late 2023. This is because of the COVID-19 restrictions in place earlier in the year and the time needed to produce the scratchcards associated with the game.^[9]
• 27 May – Derval O'Rourke announces she is leaving Ireland's Fittest Family after six non-consecutive seasons.^[10]
• 30 May – RTÉ One airs the final edition of Claire Byrne Live after the show was axed following seven years on air.^[11]
• 31 May – Jockey Nina Carberry will replace Derval O'Rourke as a coach on Ireland's Fittest Family.^[12]

June

• No events.

July

• 12 July – The Government says it will maintain the current television licence but will overhaul the system to ensure it is more equitable, relevant and sustainable.^[13]

August

• 1–3 August – The final episodes of Australian soap Neighbours are shown on RTÉ2, RTÉ One and RTÉ Player.^[14]
• 24 August – Launch of Virgin Media Four.^{[15] [16]}
• 25 August – Nicky Byrne steps down as co-presenter of Dancing with the Stars.^[17]

September

• 19 September – RTÉ provides live coverage of the state funeral of Queen Elizabeth II from London, both on television and online.^[18]

October

• 7 October – Doireann Garrihy is announced as Nicky Byrne's replacement on Dancing with the Stars, and will present alongside Jennifer Zamparelli.^[19]
• 24 October – Sky and the GAA announce a mutual agreement to end their broadcast partnership.^[20]

November

• 18 November – Eileen Dunne presents her final edition of after 40 years with RTÉ and ahead of her retirement.^[21]
• 20 November – The Nugent family from County Louth, coached by Davy Fitzgerald, win season ten of Ireland's Fittest Family.^[22]
• 25 November – The Late Late Toy Show is broadcast on RTÉ One, and becomes the most watched programme on Irish television in 2022 with 1.6m viewers.^[23]
• 28 November – Pasquale La Rocca announces his departure from Dancing with the Stars to join the Italian version of the format, Ballando con le Stelle.^[24]

December

• 2 December – TG4 switches to HD on Saorview, becoming the third Irish TV channel to do so.^[25]
• 11 December – TG4 airs the 2022 Junior Eurovision Song Contest, where Ireland's Sophie Lennon finished in fourth place with her entry "Solas", achieving Ireland's best result to date in the contest.
• 14 December – Opening night of Toy Show The Musical at Dublin's Convention Centre, which will run till New Year's Eve.^[26]
• 17 December – Boxer Katie Taylor is voted the 2022 RTÉ Sports Person of the Year.^[27]
• 19 December – Toy Show The Musical is forced to cancel several performances due to illness among the show's cast and crew.^[28]
• 28 December – Tadhg Fleming and his family win the 2022 Christmas celebrity special of Ireland's Fittest Family along with €10,000 for their charity of choice.^[29]
• 31 December – RTÉ New Years Eve celebrations include Jennifer Zamparelli hosting a New Year’s Eve Party, from 10.15pm on RTÉ One which is followed by the NYE Countdown Concert with Westlife from the new festival village on North Wall Quay.^{[30] [31]}

Debuts

• 18 May – Conversations with Friends on RTÉ One^[32]
• 1 July – The Main Stage on RTÉ One^[33]
• 28 August – North Sea Connection on RTÉ One^[34]

Ongoing television programmes

1960s

• (1961–present)
• (1962–present)
• The Late Late Show (1962–present)

1970s

• The Late Late Toy Show (1975–present)
• The Sunday Game (1979–present)

1980s

• Fair City (1989–present)
• (1989–present)

1990s

• Would You Believe (1990s–present)
• Winning Streak (1990–present)
• Prime Time (1992–present)
• Nuacht RTÉ (1995–present)
• Nuacht TG4 (1996–present)
• Reeling In the Years (1999–present)
• Ros na Rún (1996–present)
• TV3 News (1998–present)
• Ireland AM (1999–present)
• Telly Bingo (1999–present)

2000s

• Nationwide (2000–present)
• TV3 News at 5.30 (2001–present) – now known as the 5.30
• Against the Head (2003–present)
• news2day (2003–present)
• Other Voices (2003–present)
• The Week in Politics (2006–present)
• At Your Service (2008–present)
• Operation Transformation (2008–present)
• 3e News (2009–present)
• Two Tube (2009–present)

2010s

• Jack Taylor (2010–present)
• Mrs. Brown's Boys (2011–present)
• MasterChef Ireland (2011–present)
• Today (2012–present)
• The Works (2012–present)
• Second Captains Live (2013–present)
• Ireland's Fittest Family (2014–present)
• Claire Byrne Live (2015–2022)
• The Restaurant (2015–present)
• Red Rock (2015–present)
• TV3 News at 8 (2015–present)
• First Dates (2016–present)
• Dancing with the Stars (2017–2020, 2022–present)
• The Tommy Tiernan Show (2017–present)
• Striking Out (2017–present)

2020s

• DIY SOS: The Big Build Ireland (2020–present)
• The Style Counsellors (2020–present)
• Smother (2021–present)

Ending this year

• 30 May – Claire Byrne Live (2015–2022)

External links

• List of 2022 Irish television series at IMDb

Notes and References

1. Web site: Late Late Show viewers 'cringing' after Tubridy belts out song with audience . Marita . Moloney . 29 January 2022 . Irish Mirror . 13 August 2023.
2. Web site: Nina Carberry crowned champion of Dancing with the Stars 2022. 27 March 2022. RTE. 29 March 2022.
3. Web site: Jockey Nina Carberry wins Dancing With The Stars in season finale. 27 March 2022. Irish Independent. 29 March 2022.
4. Web site: Virgin Media to launch new channel next month . 28 March 2022 . Independent.ie . 12 August 2023.
5. Web site: Ryan Tubridy 'thrilled' as he hails 'freedom day' at RTE after major rule lifted . Marita . Moloney . 13 May 2022 . Irish Mirror . 13 August 2023.
6. News: Toy Show The Musical is coming to Dublin stage. RTÉ News. 14 May 2022. 5 November 2022.
7. News: RTÉ to take on the pantos with launch of Toy Show The Musical. Irish Independent. Eoghan. Moloney. 13 May 2022. 5 November 2022.
8. News: Casting opens for RTÉ's Toy Show The Musical. TheJournal.ie. Tadgh. McNally. 20 May 2022. 6 November 2022.
9. Web site: Game over as RTE's Winning Streak as it won't return to screens this year . Sandra . Mallon . 28 May 2022 . Irish Mirror . 22 November 2023.
10. Web site: 2022-05-27 . Derval O'Rourke Leaving Ireland's Fittest Family After Seven Years . 2022-05-31 . Extra.ie . en-GB.
11. News: Claire Byrne Live to end after seven years this Monday. TheJournal.ie. Tadgh. McNally. 27 May 2022. 28 August 2022.
12. Web site: Kelly . Justin . Top jockey set to join Ireland's Fittest Family as new coach . 2022-05-31 . www.limerickleader.ie . en.
13. News: Government to 'overhaul' TV licence system. RTÉ News and Current Affairs. Brian. O'Donovan. 12 July 2022. 12 July 2022.
14. Web site: RTÉ player to mark conclusion of iconic soap Neighbours with 50 classic episodes . 26 July 2022 . Westmeath Independent . 8 September 2023.
15. Web site: Showcase Commercial Opportunities 2022. PDF. 29 June 2022. Bcboltvirgin.akamaized.net. 23 July 2022.
16. Web site: Virgin Media and TG4 both set to launch new TV channels. article. 14 August 2022. independent.ie. 16 July 2022.
17. News: Donohoe . Amy . 2022-08-25 . Nicky Byrne quits RTE's Dancing With The Stars . en-GB . DublinLive . 2022-11-28.
18. Web site: Ex-Dublin mayor questions cost to RTÉ of covering Queen’s funeral. SundayWorld.com. 20 September 2022.
19. Web site: Murphy . Greg . 2022-10-07 . Doireann Garrihy joins Jennifer Zamparelli as new host of Dancing with the Stars . 2022-11-28 . Irish Examiner . en.
20. News: Sky Sports announce end of TV broadcast partnership with the GAA. The 42. 24 October 2022. 25 June 2023.
21. Web site: RTÉ newsreader retires after more than 40 years on air . Marie Louise . McConville . 21 November 2022 . The Irish News . 14 August 2023.
22. Web site: Nugent family from Co Louth storm to victory with coach Davy Fitzgerald on Ireland's Fittest Family 2022 . 2022-11-21 . LMFM . en.
23. Web site: Late Late Toy Show most watched show on Irish TV with 1.6 million viewers tuning in. 28 November 2022. Irish Independent. 19 January 2023.
24. Web site: 2022-11-28 . New pro dancer joins RTÉ's Dancing With The Stars following Pasquale La Rocca's shock departure . 2022-11-28 . Goss.ie . en-US.
25. Web site: TG4 transitions to HD on Saorview . RXTV . 2 December 2022 . 12 August 2023.
26. Web site: Neasa . Cumiskey . Adam King and Saoirse Ruane step out for Toy Show The Musical premiere . 26 January 2024 . Sunday World . 26 January 2024.
27. Web site: RTE Sport Awards 2022 recap and winners as Katie Taylor scoops top gong . Eamon . Doggett . 18 December 2022 . Irish Mirror . 17 December 2023.
28. Web site: More Toy Show The Musical shows cancelled as RTE apologises to fans . Sandra . Mallon . 19 December 2022 . Irish Mirror . 26 January 2024.
29. Web site: Tadhg Fleming and family come out on top on Ireland's Fittest Family celebrity special . 2023-01-01 . independent . en.
30. Web site: Festive Five TV and streaming tips for New Year's Eve. 31 December 2022. RTE News. 20 January 2023.
31. Web site: RTÉ reveals New Year’s Eve countdown lineup. 31 December 2022. Irish Independent. 20 January 2023.
32. Web site: Everything you need to know about Conversations with Friends. 17 May 2022. RTE. 25 August 2022.
33. Web site: Erica Cody hopes hosting her brand new RTE show will 'break down barriers. 26 June 2022. RSV. 25 August 2022.
34. Web site: Star of new RTE drama North Sea Connection says its a ‘unique show’. 28 August 2022. Sunday World . 6 September 2022.