Gerry Ryan: Shock jock who wakes up Ireland to the facts of his life

Sunday Mirror, Nov 15, 1998 by CAOIMHE YOUNG

IRELAND'S mega-mouth Gerry Ryan is set to make history in the hunt for sexy new Irish stars on both sides of the border.

In an action-packed series, the 2FM DJ who wakes up half the country with his raucous laugh and sex-life details, will be scouting for talent to push onto the world stage.

Let Me Entertain You will be the first joint production between RTE and BBC Northern Ireland and Gerry can barely wait to take on the new venture.

He said: "It's an incredibly exciting time in history to be involved in a cross-border project. I feel it is vitally important for everyone to reach out the hand of friendship - even in the entertainment world."

The one-night-a-week series, which kicks off on January 10, has been dubbed the hippest talent show on TV before it has even been filmed. And Gerry says it's sure to be pretty wild.

Gerry said: "This is not going to be a tame affair by any means - the studio is very trendy and we intend to involve the audience as much as we can.

"The show will be broadcast from RTE and BBC1 and all the filming will done in the Belfast studio so I'm looking forward to getting to know the city again.

"Let Me Entertain You is roughly along the lines of Chris Evan's TFI Friday and it's going to be good - really good.

"We're looking for top talent and good entertainment although it's always a bit of craic to have the odd off-key performance or zany juggler.

"Ireland is full of talent but it's difficult for young people to get a good record deal and the right exposure. That's what we want to do - give the people here a good chance of fame and fortune.

"The show will be a fantastic platform for young talent and a good one to look out for if you're a talent spotter or involved in showbiz.

"I know the phrase 'talent show' sounds a bit naff but this production will not fit into that mould - this is going to be something different and a bit off the wall."

GERRY'S enthusiasm for Let Me Entertain You is infectious but he says he has had to draw the line at involving his own family.

And the DJ's four youngsters are not too happy that they can't show off their stage moves in the cross-border show.

"The kids have been practising around the house and they feel really hard done by - but they can enter a million competitions when they get older.

"They love getting up on stage and acting or doing a bit of funk dancing - they're a crazy bunch."

His eldest daughter, 13-year-old Charlotte, recently asked her famous dad to quit talking about his personal life on the air.

"She doesn't like it when I talk about her on radio - so I don't anymore. She's a young women now with her own ideas and I have to respect that.

"At the moment I'm under the teenage microscope and it's difficult to pass the test, but I think it happens to all parents when their kids start to grow up.

"We get on well - I think I just have to get used to having a young woman in the household instead of a gang of kids."

Gerry defends his habit of talking about himself and his family on radio as his way of having a conversation with his viewers.

"I talk back to my radio audience - I like to think I'm not just a faceless presenter. The way I run my show means that we are engaging in conversation - so it's not one-sided and monotonous.

"I tell my listeners about my life-experiences. What I got up to when I was young or how many times I made love to my wife, Moirah, last week - whatever is relevant to the show.

"Most people either like me or think I'm a complete bastard, I don't think there is any middle ground and I really don't care.

"In my early days I was full of opinions and ideas. I used to think I knew everything but everyone does when they're young and I've calmed down a good bit now.

"I try my best not to preach to my listeners although I know I slip up now and again," he said.

Gerry's kids are no strangers to a bit of hassle from their school mates about their opinion of the 42-year-old media man.

"They shelter me from the grief they get from their school mates and they never moan about it unless it gets too serious.

"I'm very impressed at their attitude - I never hear about it unless it turns into a punch up.

"It's a mature way of handling it because they have to learn to cope with the down-side as well as the up-side of being Gerry Ryan's kids," said Gerry.

And the minute Gerry walks into his Dublin home, his role as an Irish celebrity is gone out the window.

MY wife won't let me get away with any egotism so she keeps me in line but I forget all about my job when I'm standing at my son's football match in the rain hoping they won't loose again."

The woman who keeps the number one radio man in line has a fan for life no matter what.

"I was a lucky man when I married Moirah - she was stunning and she's stunning now.

"She has no problem with me talking about her on the radio at all. By now she's used to it and to be honest, I don't know how often she actually listens in.

"It wouldn't work if I came home and thought I was anyone else but a father and a husband - it would be a disaster. I like to keep work and home life as separate as possible."