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RTÉ is looking forward to a great 2025 for audiences, with new and returning entertainment shows, gripping documentaries, live music, and wide-ranging live sports coverage across video, audio and online to help everyone through the long winter season.
Non-stop weekend entertainment starts as always on Friday nights: Patrick Kielty rang in the new year for the nation with a star-studded guest line up and will continue that trend with The Late Late Show every Friday night starting with the celebration of Tradfest. Expect a fantastic blend of traditional tunes and songs by a hand-picked group of Ireland’s finest musicians including Sean Keane, Aoife Scott and Mike Hanrahan. There’s an all-new Irish line-up on Saturday nights, which becomes the new destination for Ireland’s Fittest Family followed by a new season of The Young Offenders. The Tommy Tiernan Show then returns with a new series of his show, where guests from all walks of life open up about their personal life and career experiences.
Dancing with the Stars returns on Sunday nights for its 8th season. This year, dancer Karen Byrne has set aside her glitterball and replaces it with a judging paddle as she takes her seat as the 4th judge. There’s a host of new Irish celebrities putting on their dancing shoes and sequins and competing to lift that famous glitterball. The Dancing with the Stars Ireland: Official Podcast will also return on January 6th, presented by Carl Mullan, Lottie Ryan and Laura Fox.
Dermot Bannon is back on Sunday nights for a new season of Room to Improve. Four families from across Ireland have chosen Dermot as the architect for their new feature build with everyone challenged to keep within budget as he tries to turn each house into a dream home. There’s a bonus episode this year featuring former Dancing with the Stars judge Julian Benson, as he prepares to open a dedicated facility in Dublin for the families of Cystic Fibrosis patients. Architect Hugh Wallace then takes up the design baton with Great House Revival, as he follows homeowners across Ireland as they attempt to restore and transform their derelict heritage properties into comfortable homes fit for modern day living. Following its highly successful first season, Cheap European Homes returns with an extended format of hour-long episodes. This time Ireland’s favourite bargain house hunter Maggie Molloy, travels to France, Spain, Portugal and Italy in search of dream properties that won’t break the bank. The search for Ireland’s Home of the Year takes place once again. The judges will visit some exceptionally beautiful homes across the country, allowing us all to sneak a peek inside.
There’s also quality Irish programming throughout the week. Monday nights will feature brand-new gripping documentaries, with subjects including former solicitor Michael Lynn, who went on the run when faced with multi-million-euro fraud allegations, leading to a decade-long Garda mission for him to face justice on Irish soil. There is also a two-part series that charts the rise of Gerard Hutch, known as The Monk, from small-time inner-city criminal to major gangland figure.
High Road, Low Road returns with a cast of unusual and sometimes mismatched celebrity couples heading off to a set of holiday destinations for unforgettable adventures of discovery, culture and fun. However, as fans of the show will know, while both are headed to the same location, they have very different experiences, often with hilarious consequences. The much-anticipated final series of Yellowstone comes to RTÉ2 and RTÉ Player as Kevin Costner has traded in his cowboy boots to become governor of Montana, and his children will remain at his side as they battle new villains to uphold their legacy over the Yellowstone ranch.
Thursday nights on RTÉ2 and RTÉ Player will feature a combination of comedy with a little touch of love at first sight! The second series of No Worries if Not! will see more unique comedy sketches with some of the biggest stars of Irish online comedy coming together to write and deliver one-liners like no other. Next, we’re off to the First Dates restaurant to catch up with teenage romantics, flirty thirties and seductive seniors; this year the series features people of all ages from student freshers to fresh-faced septuagenarians. It’s a season packed with unexpected revelations, drama and diversity, so take a deep breath and prepare to feel your heart melt!
The new year will also feature a jam-packed new and live sports schedule as Champions League returns earlier than usual with the new season commencing on Wednesday nights in early January. URC, Investec Champions Cup and Six Nations will capture the attention of all rugby fans with prominent fixtures that promise to have you on the edge of your seat, while the Allianz GAA league with all the new GAA rules will also be up and running. Racing will be live from Leopardstown and the League of Ireland will be in full action on Friday nights, live on RTÉ2 and RTÉ Player.
There’s a host of new Irish language programming on RTÉ One and RTÉ Player. Fóram, RTÉ’s new weekly current affairs, presented by journalist Caoimhe Ní Laighin, will discuss the political stories of the week, as well as stories from around the country. 2024 was the year of global elections, and in Vótáil Cormac Ó hEadhra takes a look back at Ireland’s love/hate relationship with General Elections and the hype of the campaigns. Scéalta na Lochanna is a captivating documentary series on Ireland’s two largest lakes, Lough Corrib and Lough Neagh which explores the history, culture, environment and industry on these beautiful bodies of water. Aistear an Amhráin returns to RTÉ One this spring to explore the stories behind some of Ireland’s most loved and popular songs. Series two includes the heartbreaking ballad Grace made famous by the late great, Jim McCann and Spandau Ballet’s 80’s anthem Through the Barricades, which Gary Kemp was inspired to write following the tragic death of band roadie, Thomas Reilly. Tarrac na Farraige is a new series which focuses on the fishing industry in Ireland. The ambitious series follows a colourful and diverse cast throughout Ireland’s coastal communities, as they grapple with a fragile industry on the cusp of change. In Réiteoir, Gráinne McElwain investigates referee abuse across Gaelic games. Saol na Feirme follows farmers from all over Ireland over one full farming year and on the first of February we celebrate St. Bridget’s day, with the second edition of Na Féilte Tine-Imbolg.
Returning to RTÉ2 and RTÉ Player is Other Voices, the much-loved winter music festival that has welcomed some of the world’s most eclectic music-makers and captured on film scores of unique, one-off live performances.
RTÉ will also provide a diverse slate of quality Irish content for Ireland’s youngest audiences from original Irish animation, live action and educational content. Sir Mouse returns in January with some fresh adventures, following the bossy knight and her gentle friend Dragon in a medieval world full of daring tales. Brand-new Maddie + Triggs brings more music and sound discoveries while Storybud offers new hilarious celebrity stories with Jason Byrne and Tara Lynne O’Neill. Plus, Hey Fuzzy Yellow is back to encourage kids to think independently and express themselves through exploration and play.
2FM Rising has launched its artists for 2025, including Amble, Annie-Dog, BOLD LOVE, CamrinWatsin, Celaviedmai, Cliffords, ESSIRAY, F3miii, Fortúne Igiebor and Pastiche. They will all be championed by 2FM throughout the coming year, focusing particularly on acts unveiling new music and interviews.
On RTÉ Radio 1, Bridget’s Way, presented by Doireann Ní Ghlacáin, celebrates both the ancient act of pilgrimage and the women of Ireland as it follows the newly established ‘Saint Bridget’s Way’ 9-day pilgrimage. Listeners in search of fresh restorative fare should check out Continental Riffs, where two creative figures talk informally to each other about journeys both real and metaphorical, inspired by the continent of Europe.
RTÉ Documentary on One presents a new podcast series ‘Where is Jón?’ outlining the bizarre and unexplained disappearance of poker player Jón Jónsson. ‘Insights with Sean O’Rourke returns for a fourth series. Among the guests preparing to sit down with Sean will include gardening sensation Diarmuid Gavin, designing legend Paul Costelloe and literary royalty Cathy Kelly.
Director of Video at RTÉ, Steve Carson, said: “Our new year schedule is all about great quality Irish programming, for everyone. The weekends are filled with fantastic entertainment, and we’ve lots of live sport, new Irish music and important documentaries, each one reflecting a unique aspect of life in Ireland. Every programme is crafted by dedicated production teams, and we’re thrilled to work with and support the Irish creative sector as we focus on entertaining and informing all our audiences”
