‘That’s when he told me’ – Maïa Dunphy comes to Ryan Tubridy’s defence amid payment scandal

"I can tell you that’s not true"

TV star, Maïa Dunphy, has come to Ryan Tubridy’s defence amid the ongoing payment scandal with RTE. The Late Late Show presenter faced the Oireachtas on Tuesday as he answered a lengthy set of questions from TDs about an  overpayment of €345,000. Maïa pointed out that although she has no part in it, she couldn’t stay silent while people assumed the host’s departure from the Late Late Show was planned in accordance with the incoming scandal. She took to Twitter and said the TV presenter told her back in August 2022 that he planned on leaving the show. “Ryan Tubridy told me in confidence last August that after much consideration, he was planning to leave the LLS at the end of the season," she wrote. “I have no skin in this game, but as some seem to think he decided to leave suddenly because of this debacle, I can tell you that’s not true.” She went on to explain: “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.” Concluding her post, Dunphy said: “One thing I have in absolute spades is a strong sense of fairness. It’s important not to throw more untruths into this fiasco.” You can follow along with the the latest news on our Live blog by clicking here.

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