Broadcaster Ronan Collins has announced that the final Ronan Collins Show on RTÉ Radio 1 will air on 23 December.
The much-loved radio star shared the news with his legions of listeners live on the show this afternoon.
Peppered with roundy birthday requests and good news announcements for listeners across the country, Collins began presenting the enormously popular Ronan Collins Show in 1985.
In the most recent JNLR survey, published in November, The Ronan Collins Show was still the most-listened-to music show on Irish radio, drawing 232,000 listeners every weekday.
Speaking about his daily show coming to an end Collins said he is looking forward to 2023 and confirmed that he will continue to broadcast on RTÉ Radio 1 on Bank Holidays with The Collins Collection.
Collins said: "Nobody will ever know how grateful I have been for all the opportunities over the past 40 years and going forward with RTÉ.
"I've been working on afternoon radio on RTÉ Radio 1 for nearly 38 years, plus six years before that on Radio 2, and nobody will ever know how grateful I have been for all the opportunities over the past 40 years and going forward with RTÉ.
"I often ask myself 'how much longer can I continue to do this?' and the answer always is ‘just keep going.’ New challenges await now on RTÉ in 2023, and I will continue to be on RTÉ Radio 1 with The Collins Collection on Bank Holidays."
Peter Woods, Head of RTÉ Radio 1, said: "Ronan Collins is a legend on Irish radio. He has fronted the biggest music programme in the country and leaves it at the top of his game. He has had a career that is unlikely to be paralleled or exceeded at any time in the future - playing discs on national radio for 44 years.
"He will continue with Radio 1, with The Collins Collection, and we are so very grateful to him for the part he has played on this station and with The Ronan Collins Show in particular - long may he continue."
The final Ronan Collins Show will air on Friday, 23 December from 12pm.
The Collins Collection will next be broadcast on RTÉ Radio 1 on 2 January at 12pm and will feature Collins performing with his own band, along with the RTÉ Concert Orchestra, and special guests Gavin James and Róisín Ó.
