WHILE VINCENT BROWNE IS AWAY????

TV3 GROUP RELEASE
IMMEDIATE: Wednesday 6th July 2011

• New presenters this year include: Mary O’Rourke, Declan Ganley and Senator David Norris.

• Introducing Senate Week: Joining David Norris are Senators Feargal Quinn and Mary-Ann O’Brien

As Vincent Browne takes a well earned summer break from another successful season of the “TONIGHT” programme, we have lined up a number of guest presenters to take the hot seat in his absence. For eight weeks (starting Monday July 11th) we have selected some of the most opinionated, talkative and in some cases controversial politicians and journalists to host the only television current affairs programme running throughout the summer months.

The TONIGHT show summer line up includes:

Mary O’Rourke. Former TD and Senator - Monday July 11th to14th July
Sam Smyth. Journalist (Irish Independent) - Monday 18th to 21st July
Ger Colleran. Editor, Irish Daily Star- Monday 25th-28th July
David Norris. Senator – Tuesday 2nd August
Feargal Quinn. Senator – Wednesday 3rd August
Mary Ann O Brien. Senator - Thursday 4th August TBC– Monday 8th August to Thursday 11th
Declan Ganley. Former Libertas Leader - Monday 15th August to 18th August
Sarah Carey. Former Irish Times columnist - Monday 22nd August to 25th
Ivan Yates. Former minister and broadcaster - Monday 29th August – Thursday 1st

Each of our guest hosts will choose their own panellists and decide the subject matter for each evening’s programme which will also include the regular preview of the following day’s newspapers.

TV3 Director of News Andrew Hanlon said: “This year I have widened our panel of guest presenters to provide our viewers with a diverse range of opinions and views. The fact that many of them have never presented a live television programme before will, in my view, make it even more compelling to watch!”

ENDS

For further information & Interviews:
Maureen Catterson
TV3 PRESS OFFICE
+353 1 419 3430
+353 87 7800 737
Maureen.catterson@tv3.ie
publicity@tv3.ie
www.tv3.ie

Note to Editors:

Vincent Browne will return on Monday September 5th Tonight with Vincent Browne is broadcast Monday to Thursday.

• Across Jan-June, Tonight with Vincent Browne has averaged 142,000 viewers per episode, a 20% increase on the same period last year (Source: AC Neilsen)
• Each week, Tonight with Vincent Browne reaches over 800,000 people (Source: AC Neilsen)

• Vincent Browne will return on Monday September 5th