UTV-owned radio station 96FM has lost its most out-spoken presenter to a rival
broadcaster in Cork city.
RedFM yesterday confirmed that neil Prendeville will join its stable of hosts at the end of March, after presenting a show on 96FM for a quarter of a century.
The station took to Twitter to reveal that Prendeville would be on air from March 31 with a 9am to midday show.
Prendeville reportedly made the decision to leave 96FM after failing to agree a new contract with radio bosses. Other stars to join RedFM include Keith Cunningham, who announced last month he would depart Today FM and return to Cork.
Cunningham, known professionally as KC, cited family reasons for his decision to leave the national broadcaster to present a radio show for Red FM.
He tweeted his followers that he was "really looking forward" to working with Prendeville, whose morning gig on 96FM attracted the biggest audience for a local radio show in the Republic.
Despite his popularity in Cork, Prendeville is no stranger to controversy.
Last year, the state's broadcasting watchdog partially upheld a complaint against him after he read out an on-air monologue complaining about immigrants getting the medical card and social welfare payments at the expense of Irish citizens.
An angry listener contacted the Broadcasting Authority of Ireland accusing Prendeville of making "vile accusations, laced with prejudice and with no veracity in reality whatsoever".
In 2010 Prendeville landed in hot water after allegedly performing a sex act on himself during an Aer Lingus flight from London to Cork.
He later went on air to apologise to airline staff and his fellow passengers, blaming a combination of pain medication and alcohol for his actions.