Ciara Doherty sets record straight on Virgin Media exit: ‘I wasn’t pushed’

Ciara left Virgin Media back in 2024 after over 14 years working there, four of them spent as host of The Tonight Show, but made the decision to leave to try new things

Ciara Doherty has “set the record straight” on her exit from Virgin Media, dismissing the idea that she was pushed from the station.

The ex Ireland AM and Tonight Show presenter left the Ballymount broadcaster back in November 2024, alongside her late night co-host Claire Brock.

Ciara now hosts the Newstalk Daily podcast, while Claire is a cover presenter on RTÉ Radio 1.

The Donegal native has now opened up on her decision to leave Virgin Media, following changes made to The Tonight Show.

Ciara said: “When I made the decision to leave Virgin, I’d been there for over 14 years, the vast majority of my career. But there were major changes on the programme.

“And I suppose they didn’t come as any huge shock to me. The idea of perhaps leaving had been percolating in my mind for some time.

“I think Virgin had sent out a press release a number of months previously when they were looking for government support for public service funding, that if they didn’t get it, they were going to have to look at their news and current affairs output.

“I felt they were probably going to have to follow through when they put out that statement. So it was on my radar that potentially there would be changes to The Tonight Show. And I guess I had been scenario-planning in my head.”

When asked if Ciara felt if she didn’t leave, she would have been pushed out, she told the Sunday Independent: “No, because their decision was to reduce The Tonight Show from four nights to two nights, and that was going to have implications for either Claire or myself.

“And the person who was going to remain, you know… the terms and conditions would have been different. In situations like that, you can feel like you’ve no control – but I did, I suppose. I had a choice I could make, and I decided, really, to take control of the situation.

“That was my response to it, to say: ‘You know what? After 14 years, this might be my opportunity to go out into the bigger media landscape in Ireland and see what else is out there.’ Basically, to walk away. Take a leap. And that’s what I decided to do.”

Mum of two Ciara said it was a big decision to make, but she has no regrets.

“It was a really pivotal decision, don’t get me wrong,” she said.

“I’d been there a long time and I was very proud of my tenure on The Tonight Show. I was the first female anchor on the programme.

“I was there four-and-a-half years. I was proud of Claire and me ­anchoring it together and making it a success.

“So, it was a major decision but it wasn’t a difficult one. And it’s not something I’ve regretted.”

Reiterating she wasn’t pushed from Virgin Media, Ciara added: “I had made the decision myself – I wasn’t pushed, to set the record straight. Absolutely not, I wasn’t pushed.”

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