After almost seven years on hosting duties, Ronan Keating is to bid farewell to Magic Radio.
The Irish pop star, 47, joined the station in September 2017, hosting the Breakfast show alongside Harriet Scott from Monday to Thursday.
However, after several years of playing other artists’ tunes, Ronan wants to focus on his own music.
Ronan announced his departure to Magic listeners this morning (Thursday, June 6), which comes as he prepares to embark on a tour across the UK and Germany.
He began: ‘It’s been very difficult for me to come to this conclusion, and to make this decision. I wanted our listeners, our Magic Breakfast listeners and our Magic Radio listeners, to be the first to know that after seven years and so many incredible shows, I’ve decided to stand down from Magic Breakfast at the end of July.
‘I have loved every single minute, this has not been an easy decision at all. I came on board as you know, [Harriet] for a year, maybe two and I’ve loved the job so much that I’ve stayed here for seven.’
He added, referring to the pandemic: ‘We’ve had an amazing time and we’ve been through some incredibly emotional times with people at home.
‘Those two years that the world changed. It was an honour to be able to be in people’s homes and communicate with them like we did.
‘So yeah, although I won’t be waking the nation up anymore with you [Harriet], I look forward to, I guess, reconnecting with what I did before this – you know, getting back to my music and touring.
‘Even though I’ve been doing it, trying to do both together has not been easy at times. And getting back to being with my family – you know, doing school runs and those things that I’ve missed out on. Waking up with my wife in the morning, you know? I know it sounds ridiculous but it’s really important and I’ve missed that.’
The Life Is a Rollercoaster hitmaker went on to thank his colleagues for the past seven years, adding that he’s realised how ‘powerful’ it is to connect with people via the medium of radio.
He described the job as ‘a real honour’ and praised his co-star for showing him the ropes.
‘A massive thank youto everybody for the love you’ve shown me, the love you’ve shown this show for the last seven years. It’d been incredible.’
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Having received a string of heartfelt messages from listeners, an emotional Ronan told Harriet: ‘I don’t know if I can read any of them!’
Harriet said of his leaving:‘Well, what can I say? I’m heartbroken that I’ll soon no longer be sharing my mornings with my sidekick, but I’m also absolutely delighted for him to be embarking on his next chapter.
‘Ronan is one of a kind and I know we haven’t seen the last of him here at Magic!’
The Boyzone member’s final show will be on July 31 but for loyal listeners, don’t fret, because he’s not leaving for good.
Ronan has assured that he’ll occasionally host other shows, including weekends in August.
As for his co-host Harriet, Ronan described her as a ‘radio legend’. She’ll remain on the Breakfast Show and Ronan’s replacement will be announced soon.
Magic Radio content director, Rachel Mallender, said of Ronan’s exit: ‘Ronan is a brilliant broadcaster and after seven years of early mornings, entertaining millions across the nation, he’s certainly earned a well-deserved lie-in!
‘While he’ll be popping up on the station, it’s only right that we give him a good send off on Magic Radio Breakfast which has been his home since he joined, so do listen in across the summer as we say farewell.’
Ronan’s career change means he’ll now get to spend more time with his wife, Storm, 42, whom he married in 2015 after meeting on The X Factor Australia in 2010.
Thepair share two children – a son named Cooper Archer Keating, seven, and a daughter named Coco Knox Keating, four.
Elsewhere in his personal life away from radio, Ronan hasn’t had the smoothest time of things in recent years.
In July last year, the singer and his family were left devastated when brother Ciarán was killed in a car crashwhile heading to watch his son, Ruairí, play for Cork City FC against Sligo Rovers FC.
Ronan has since told Loose Men that he has ‘weekly’ sessions with a therapist, who gives him ‘the tools’ to understand ‘what [he’s] been through.’
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