Jennifer Zamparelli wants Joe Duffy to take over the Late Late Show when Ryan Tubridy leaves - amid calls for a woman to take the reigns of the RTE flagship programme.
The chat show has been running for 60 years next year and has a history of all male permanent presenters in Gay Byrne, Pat Kenny and currently Ryan Tubridy.
But after Miriam O’Callaghan made history as she stepped in for Tubridy when he was sick with Covid last year, calls have increased for a woman to front the show in the near future.
And as he gets set to kick off his 13th season at the helm of the show this Friday, Tubridy admitted that he has “no doubt” the next presenter of the chat show will be a woman.
But top RTE host Zamparelli admits she has no interest in the top paying gig - and told how she believes Liveline’s Joe Duffy is the obvious choice to fill Tubridy’s shoes eventually.
Speaking on her RTE 2fm show on Tuesday, she said: “I honestly believe Joe Duffy should have it next. Shouldn’t he, and look he’s not a woman. And maybe the right thing to say is ‘oh a woman’.
“But I think they are all great, and all amazing, and they all have lovely bottoms, especially Joe,” she joked.
The 41-year-old comic went on: “But I think really Joe would be amazing. Because he has good empathy, he’s good craic, he’s clever. He can do both, which is important.”
Noting that Tubridy has no plans to leave his job behind anytime soon, she joked: “He will do it til he dies on the stage. He’s not going anywhere. That’s probably why he said it.”
But weighing in on the discussion about the calls for a female replacement, she went on: “To move things on I think definitely a woman should have an opportunity to screen test and have that opportunity to do it.
“But I think the job should go to the best person.
“Would I be cancelled for saying that?
“That is not anti-feminist, that is non, any gender that you might identify as a woman, as a man. Whatever you are.
“It just has to go to the best person. Because it is such a difficult gig to handle.
“I don’t think you can say the next presenter of the Late Late Show should be a woman.
“I think the next presenter of the Late Late Show should be the best person for the job.
“I honestly do believe that.”
The Bridget & Eamon star and mum-of-two also said that she has no interest in the top spot.
“Honestly I wouldn’t take it," she said.
“Can I be completely honest, it’s one of those gigs, this industry is great when you have potential.
“You don’t want to be at the top.
“That’s a place you do not want to be because there is only one way to go. And that is down.
“And your life changes dramatically when you are at that level.
“Imagine me doing a political segment. Imagine me, I'd be ripping the piss. It just wouldn’t work.
“Listen, maybe in 10 years time, if you want to give me a call and the money is right, give me a call,” she added.
