Ryan Tubridy has spoken of his struggles with the death of both Gay Bryne recently, as well as Gerry Ryan's death nine years ago.
The Late Late Show host told how he had considered both men like family, with both deaths coming as a huge blow.
Speaking to the Herald, he explained: "I'm feeling that very much because Gerry was like a bold brother and Gay was like a godfather, and I don't mean that in a mafia sense."
"I mean it in the sense that he'd sit you down and say, 'what do you need in terms of advice' and so on.
"They were two dear friends and mentors to me," RSVP Live reports.
He also admitted that it was sometimes hard to grieve when working in such a public role but that family and friends had been a great support, saying: "Look it's happened before in life, that when you're a public figure and grief comes into your world, anyone knows what it's like."
"You have to go to work whether you're working behind a counter somewhere or whether you're working on TV, that's the nature of grief," he said.
"You plough on, you surround yourself with gorgeous people in work and in home, and that takes the pain out of it."
The RTE presenter added: "I didn't lose somebody from my family but it felt like a profound loss to me. I think Irish people are feeling it as much as anyone else."
Ryan's comments come as tributes continue to pour in for the late Gay Byrne.
This week it was revealed that the broadcaster had donated over €80,000 for Crumlin's Children's Hospital in an incredible gesture before his passing.
The RTE legend's daughter Crona revealed her father raffled off the Harley Davidson gifted to him by U2 and managed to raise a fantastic €82,000 for the Dublin hospital.
Gay received the bike from the popular Irish band during his final Late Late Show back in 1997, but Crona told the Clare Champion that instead of keeping it, he decided to put it to better use.
She also told of how "incredible" the public's reaction to her dad's death has been, and is extremely grateful for everyone's well-wishes.
" Gay was such a mainstay for so many homes in Ireland for so many years," she told the publication.
"It is lovely to hear the stories people are posting on social media. Some beautiful stories are being shared.
"It is lovely to see how Gay touched so many lives. People didn’t know all the work Dad did behind the scenes."
