Ex-Today FM star Muireann O’Connell has lifted the lid on her shock axing from the station saying: ‘I was worried about my parents’.
The Virgin Media presenter, who has been replaced by Mairead Ronan on the lunchtime slot, admitted she wasn’t expecting to be given the boot.
Speaking at the Virgin Media Autumn schedule launch, she told the Irish Daily Mirror: “The day it all went down I came into work and I was no longer required.
“I was brought into a room and told. No, I was kind of, I walked out and I was kind of, I was in a daze. Honestly, I was in a daze.
“I just wasn’t expecting it. So I went from being in a daze to going into a pub and that was really good that helped a lot. I would recommend it."
The Six O’Clock show star added: “I spent a few days just worried about my parents as you do because you know they are always protective of their children and they care about that but to be honest I can’t tell you what it was like walking into Virgin Media on that Tuesday.
“The support of this organisation, there was a little bit of something going on [round of applause]... the support was unbelievable."
She added that she decided not to pursue any legal action after her abrupt departure.
“I decided that I wouldn’t do that. We live in a world where that is seen as bitter or whatever I just wanted it to be done.”
Fans flocked to the broadcaster on Twitter last month, where she announced she was fired from the station.
When asked if she has since had any regrets about the way she announced the news, she said: “No, I probably should have had a longer process but it was in the heat of the moment kind of going I was a bit shocked and various other things had happened behind the scenes that I wasn’t expecting.
“And it was just my honest response, that’s how I felt sitting on my couch when the news happened.”
With her heart still set on radio, the star revealed she plans to be back on the airwaves in the near future.
However, despite Mark Cagney’s spot on Ireland AM up for grabs, she ruled out taking over on the morning chat show.
She said: “I haven’t even thought of that. I’m going to be perfectly frank, I’ve got insomnia so I’m up until 8am anyway. But I know nothing of that.”
