KATHRYN Thomas has told of her excitement at taking on the challenge of hosting her own radio show, and said: “My name is over the door, I can’t wait for it.”
The mum of two has joined Dublin’s Q102 as the host of their brand new breakfast show, ‘The Morning Show with Kathryn Thomas’, which starts today.
It will air every weekday morning from 7am-10am.
And Kat, 46, admitted that, while there’s some nerves, she can’t wait to get going.
She said: “I’ve done long stints filling in for people on radio, but this is the first time my name is over the door. I have never had that opportunity before, so I am grabbing it with both hands.”
Kathryn has worked in Irish TV and radio for over 25 years, starting on RTE travel show No Frontiers.
And she revealed she’ll be calling on some famous pals to help her out — including new station mate Ryan Tubridy, who will follow on from Kathryn on weekdays at 10am.
She said: “Ryan said it could take a couple of months to find my groove, so I’m under no illusion.
“There will be new listeners I bring to the station, but there will also be existing listeners who love Q102. I’m excited and I can’t wait for this challenge.”
Kathryn is at the forefront of a brand new relaunch for Dublin’s Q102 which aims to “brighten listeners’ days with fresh entertainment and feel-good music”.
Kathryn told The Irish Sun: “I can understand why somebody thought this was a good idea. It’s a new chapter for both of us (Kathryn and Ryan) going into commercial radio. Ryan came on air with Q102 quite quickly, and now the station are building around that.
“I’ll be covering stories that matter to Dubliners, along with weather and travel and feel-good music that promises to brighten your morning, no matter what the weather.”
It’s fair to say that Kathryn is buzzing about the future.
She said: “I’m somebody who loves to learn and loves new challenges. Now I’m operating the desk and I have never run a radio desk before. I’m learning what the buttons do, calling in the news and turning my microphone down. I’m sure, after a while it will all become second nature to me.
“Naturally, it will evolve as I find my feet. It’s a big challenge but I’m relishing it. I’ve also been practising the early morning starts and so far, I haven’t slept through my alarm clock once.
“The support from everyone at Q102 and the well-wishes from all over Dublin have been amazing. I’m so excited to get started!”
‘TIPS AND HINTS’
While used to doing morning or afternoon stints on RTE, breakfast radio is brand new to Kathryn, who revealed she has sought advice from broadcasting pals who know how morning radio works.
She said: “I’ve spoken to Muireann (O’Connell) and Doireann (Garrihy) and all the FM104 crew. Everyone who has done morning radio or TV and knows this breakfast space, and they have all been amazing.
“For instance, I’m used to doing ten or 15-minute interviews, but on breakfast, you need to be in and out in three minutes. Now I’ve picked up so many tips and hints.
“It’s really all about finding your feet and knowing when something feels comfortable. Like, we tested out a couple of things that weren’t connecting with me, and we binned them to try something else.”
FUN ITEMS
Fun items on Kathryn’s new morning show will include ‘Brekkie’s Got Talent’, where children across Dublin share their amazing talents on-air, and engaging games where listeners can win big prizes.
Kathryn said: “Kids on the radio for me is always gold, so we’re doing that. There’ll be competitions as well for listeners to win some money. And I want to remind Dubliners what’s so great about being in Dublin, let them know what’s happening in the city and all the best places to go.”
Expect lots of guests too, with Kathryn revealing she might double job as her own booker, ringing up famous pals to come on her show.
She laughed: “You can’t work in TV for 25 years and not have contacts. I’d like to think I have built a lot of friendships along the way.
RIGHT TIME
“For example, I just bumped into Una Healy in the corridor at Q102. We did The Voice Of Ireland together back in 2015 when she was pregnant. Back then I wasn’t married, had no kids, but now I have two children.”
Speaking of children, Kathryn said the offer from Q102 came at just the right time, as a mum to daughters Ellie, six, and Gracie, three, with husband Padraig McLoughlin.
She said: “I never mind people asking me how I juggle work with kids because I’m always interested in talking to women with children and how they manage. This new show wouldn’t have worked for me or suited my life when my kids were small.”
Kathryn, from Carlow, is a huge advocate for health and has her own business, Pure Results, where she runs fitness and wellness retreats here in Ireland and abroad.
And healthy living is still a subject close to Kathryn’s heart, as she hosts a new two-part RTE TV documentary on ‘Ozempic, The Skinny Jab Revolution’, airing in the coming weeks and produced by her own production company.
She added: “I’m really fascinated looking at how these weight-loss drugs work and how they are impacting society as a whole.”
