Overview of the events of 2021 in Irish television
The following is a list of events relating to television in Ireland from 2021.
11 January – RTÉ's Home School Hub makes a return as schools in Ireland return to remote learning because of the pandemic.[ 1]
14 January – It is reported that a petition calling for RTÉ to remove The Angelus , which precedes the evening RTÉ News: Six One , has been signed by 2,200 people.[ 2]
15 January – The National Lottery and RTÉ confirm that the Saturday night gameshow Winning Streak will not be returning for the foreseeable future due to "ongoing restrictions related to Covid-19".[ 3]
28 January – Boxer Katie Taylor is named the 2020 RTÉ Sports Person of the Year , the second time she has won the award.[ 4] The RTÉ Sports Awards ceremony, presented by Joanne Cantwell and Darragh Maloney , has been delayed from its usual December date due to the delays in sporting events for 2020 caused by the COVID-19 pandemic .[ 5]
21 February – The Mahoney family from County Wexford , coached by Davy Fitzgerald , win season eight of Ireland's Fittest Family .[ 6]
26 February – RTÉ announces the cancellation of Soccer Republic , with the show not returning for the 2021 League of Ireland season .[ 7]
10 March – RTÉ2 +1 is added to Sky on channel 202.[ 8]
11 March – Taoiseach Micheál Martin makes an appearance on Home School Hub , where he is interviewed by Seamus the puppet dog.[ 9] [ 10]
19 March – The final edition of RTÉ's Home School Hub is aired.[ 11]
10 August – Matt Cooper announces he will be leaving his role as presenter of Virgin Media One 's The Tonight Show .[ 12]
29 August – Virgin Media Television announces that Claire Brock will succeed Matt Cooper as presenter of The Tonight Show .[ 13]
3 September – The Late Late Show returns for a new series, with a very small studio audience allowed to return for the first time since March 2020, but with strict adherence to COVID-19 restrictions.[ 14]
8 November – RTÉ One airs Keelin Shanley: Faraway, Still Close , a documentary about the late news presenter, Keelin Shanley , made by her husband, Conor Ferguson. The documentary is also made available on RTÉ Player .[ 15]
12 November – RTÉ confirms that Dancing with the Stars will return for a fifth series in January 2022.[ 16] [ 17] [ 18] Arthur Gourounlian will also join the judging panel for the new judge on the new series.[ 19]
26 November – The Late Late Toy Show is broadcast on RTÉ One, and becomes the most watched programme on Irish television in 2021.[ 20] [ 21]
30 November – Sky News joins Saorview on Channel 23.[ 22] [ 23]
18 December – National Hunt jockey Rachael Blackmore is voted the 2021 RTÉ Sports Person of the Year .[ 24]
19 December – The Kinsella family from County Wexford , coached by Anna Geary , win the ninth season of Ireland's Fittest Family .[ 25]
27 December – David and Stephen Flynn and their family win the 2021 Christmas celebrity special of Ireland's Fittest Family along with €10,000 for their charity of choice.[ 26]
7 January – Clear History on RTÉ2 [ 27]
7 March – Smother on RTÉ1
10 April – Home Advantage on RTÉ1[ 28]
11 April – Keys to my Life on RTÉ1[ 29]
12 September – Kin on RTÉ[ 30]
Ongoing television programmes [ edit ]
^ Wall, Eva (8 January 2021). "Great news for parents as RTE Home School hub set to return to screens" . Extra.ie. Retrieved 21 November 2023 .
^ O'Connor, Rachael (14 January 2021). "Petition calls for removal of The Angelus from the airwaves" . The Irish Post . Retrieved 13 August 2023 .
^ Byrne, Ruairi Scott (15 January 2021). "RTE's Winning Streak won't be returning to screens for 'foreseeable future' " . Irish Mirror . Retrieved 22 November 2023 .
^ "Katie Taylor is RTÉ Sportsperson of the Year 2020" . RTÉ News . RTÉ. 28 January 2021. Retrieved 17 December 2023 .
^ "RTÉ Sport Awards for Broadcast on January 28th" . Sport for Business. 14 January 2021. Retrieved 17 December 2023 .
^ McCarthy, Esther (21 February 2021). "Ireland's Fittest Family review: Fun-filled final as Davy Fitz and the Mahoneys take the title" . Irish Examiner . Retrieved 21 February 2021 .
^ Taylor, Kevin (26 February 2021). "Exclusive: RTE's Soccer Republic LOI highlights show scrapped for 2021" . Irish Mirror . Retrieved 19 December 2023 .
^ "List of line-up changes on Sky (UK and Ireland) in 2021" . Retrieved 5 March 2021 – via tvchannellists.com.
^ Mangan, Ian (11 March 2021). "RTE viewers watch Taoiseach's 'ruff' interview on Home School Hub" . Irish Mirror . Retrieved 22 November 2023 .
^ "Taoiseach Micheál Martin will pay a visit to the Home School Hub" . RTÉ News . RTÉ. 10 March 2021. Retrieved 22 November 2023 .
^ "Farewell from the Home School Hub!" . RTÉ.ie . 18 March 2021. Retrieved 26 March 2021 .
^ Bray, Allison (10 August 2021). "Matt Cooper announces he is leaving The Tonight Show" . Retrieved 30 August 2021 .
^ Ward, Shauna (29 August 2021). "Virgin Media's Claire Brock announced as new host of The Tonight Show after Matt Cooper's shock departure" . rsvp live . Retrieved 30 August 2021 .
^ Telford, Thomas (30 August 2021). "RTE's Ryan Tubridy confirms Late Late show audience to return for new series" . Dublin Live . Retrieved 13 August 2023 .
^ "Husband's moving documentary about RTÉ star Keelin Shanley: 'The idea that she felt she lived a full life is a really powerful gift' " . The Irish Independent . 7 November 2021. Retrieved 14 August 2023 .
^ "Confirmed! Dancing with the Stars back in January" . 12 November 2021.
^ "Joy for fans as RTÉ set to green-light new series of Dancing with the Stars" . independent . Retrieved 2 December 2021 .
^ Delaney, Caroline (12 November 2021). "Dancing with the Stars is back in January — and who's the new judge?" . Irish Examiner . Retrieved 2 December 2021 .
^ Delaney, Caroline (12 November 2021). "Dancing with the Stars is back in January — and who's the new judge?" . Irish Examiner . Retrieved 12 November 2021 .
^ "What Ireland watched in 2021: news and sport dominate TV viewing but 'Toy Show' tops charts" . Irish Independent . 21 December 2021. Retrieved 5 January 2022 .
^ "Sport and news dominate Ireland's most watched TV programmes for 2021" . Irish Examiner . 10 December 2021. Retrieved 5 January 2022 .
^ "Sky News to launch on Saorview Platform" . Sky Group . 25 November 2021. Archived from the original on 1 December 2021.
^ "Sky News Expands Reach with Terrestrial in Ireland – All About Digital TV" . digitaltv.org.uk . 30 November 2021. Archived from the original on 2 December 2021.
^ Taylor, Kevin; Donlon, Mark (19 December 2021). "RTE Sport Awards: Rachael Blackmore crowned Sportsperson of the Year" . Irish Mirror . Retrieved 17 December 2023 .
^ "Final glory for the Kinsellas as they are crowned Ireland's fittest family" . independent . Retrieved 20 December 2021 .
^ Delaney, Caroline (28 December 2021). "Celebrity Fittest Family review: Happy Pears come up smiling and win it for Donncha" . Irish Examiner . Retrieved 28 December 2021 .
^ "TV guide: 18 of the best shows to watch this week" . Irish Times . 3 January 2021. Retrieved 4 January 2021 .
^ "Home Advantage" . RTE . 12 April 2021. Retrieved 20 April 2021 .
^ "Keys to my life" . RTE . 12 April 2021. Retrieved 20 April 2021 .
^ "Premiere date for RTÉ crime drama Kin announced" . RTE . 8 September 2021. Retrieved 21 September 2021 .
^ Abbey Theatre and Father Ted actress Rynagh O'Grady dies RTÉ Entertainment, 2021-02-09
^ Eurovision winning songwriter Shay Healy dies, aged 78 Irish Independent, 2021-04-10