RTÉ2 today launched a new schedule, a new look and a brand new channel identity as it announced a new vision of creating a distinctive, youthful and relevant public service channel.
With over 24 new home-produced shows and 18 returning series along with exciting new acquisitions and movies there is a huge range of programming to entertain, educate, and inform the under 35s this season on RTÉ2.
Speaking today Glen Killane, MD RTÉ Television, said: [quote]RTÉ2 is the most creative space in Ireland where new young talent, new ideas and new programming are given a place to come together.
It’s a channel whose DNA is very much linked to the great successes of the past – Night Hawks, Paths to Freedom and Bachelors Walk. And this season we will be delivering a refocused confident, fresh channel that very much looks to our future. It’s off to a bright start as RTÉ 2 has already delivered a very strong performance this year to date increasing its peak share figure for Adults 15-34 to 10.5%, up 19% year-on-year.[/quote]
RTÉ2 Channel Controller Bill Malone said: [quote]The ambition for RTE2 is to create a highly distinctive, relevant, youthful public service channel we can all be proud of – to position RTE2 as the channel for the under 35s and those who think young.
We take a non-judgemental, warts-and-all look at Ireland today – the good, the bad, the beautiful and at times the uncomfortable. We have a remit to be brave, to take risks, to experiment, to entertain, to challenge and to stimulate debate.[/quote]
The new season will kick off with a bang on Monday 22 September when the new look for the channel will be revealed along with a huge range of new programmes including the highly-anticipated new series of Damo & Ivor, the new real life series Connected, which will broadcast throughout the week, along with new programmes Drunk, The Proposal, and the new series featuring Kelly McDonagh, Meet the McDonaghs.
Programme highlights include:
Documentary/Reality Series on RTÉ2
This season there is a range of new series featuring real people, real lives, real drama along with social experiments providing insights into Irish people’s attitudes to alcohol, sexual morality, love, marriage, religion, travellers, beauty, nudity and much more.
Connected A first of it’s kind commission, a 20 episode reality soap, real people, real lives, real drama.6 women, 6 cameras, with the cast in control of what and where they shoot. Fans of the show can get even deeper into the six women’s lives with additional web exclusive content on RTÉ Player for each of the 20 episodes.
Full Frontal In this provocative four-part series Angela Scanlon examines the many and varied paths that promise to lead to happiness or perfection.
Bressie’s Teenage Kicks A new series which explores real life in some of Limerick’s toughest estates with music being the common bond. Bressie works with teenagers from different communities across the city to help them express themselves through music.
Drunk Two-part science-based series presented by Eoghan McDermott. In a controlled environment volunteers are invited to drink to excess and then take on a range of challenges which will help explore the effects of drinking on the body and mind. This series may not stop you from sending embarrassing drunken texts but it will help you understand why you did it!
Meet the McDonaghs Following on from the success of What Kelly Did Next, this three-part series follows Kelly McDonagh and her family and provides a window into the world of a family who are proud to be traveller and an insight into their unique culture and attitudes to love, religion, morality, education and family.
What Women Want Maia Dunphy is back for another entertaining look at the issues, concerns and lifestyles of Irish women. In series two, Maia explores Food, Shopping, Fame and Attraction with her trademark mix of interviews, opinion, facts and humour.
Norah’s Traveller Academy In this new series Norah Casey mentors four young Traveller women in the world of business, developing their skills and hopefully helping them succeed in their new business ventures in a country where they still experience prejudice and exclusion.
The Notorious – The Series Following the critical acclaim and ratings success of Reality Bites: The Notorious documentary, Conor McGregor returns to the small screen. In this six part series audiences are invited to spend six months with Conor McGregor, Ireland’s most talked about sports person, as he continues his quest for MMA and world domination.
Don’t Tell The Bride Six new brides to be and six new grooms doing it their way. This season our grooms are getting a little outrageous and creating incredible days their brides will never forget, and not always in a good way! Brides beware! The lads are in control…
COMEDY on RTÉ2
Supporting and developing new Irish comedy talent, writers and producers continues to be one of the main goals for the channel with highlights this season including;
Damo & Ivor The much-anticipated new series returns with a bang as Ivor must face up to possibly being a dad and Damo is also forced togrow up. Starring Andy Quirke, Eimear Morrissey, Ruth McCabe and Hannah Crowley this is a hilarious collision of class and culture.
Holding Out For A Hero From the legendary warrior Cúchulainn to the pirate queen Gráinne Mhaol, in this four part series, Neil wants to get inside their skin and see if he has what it takes to be a modern day Irish Hero. Spoiler alert: He doesn’t.
The Savage Eye: The Final Solution Over the last five years and 25 episodes The Savage Eye has been a satirical and often surreal examination of subjects close to the hearts of Irish people. This show will be an overview of findings to draw a damning but hilarious conclusion.
Republic of Telly Presenter Kevin McGahern, alongside Jennifer and Bernard, will be ripping telly to shreds for your entertainment. The award-winning series will also continue to support new Irish comedy throughout the series.
The Fear The gang are back for a third season pranking the public and spreading fear and laughter throughout the nation. This season will features old favourites and also introduces an assortment of new characters.
DOCUMENTARIES on RTÉ2
Following the success earlier this year of Donal Walsh, My Story, The Notorious and Vogue Does Home & Away, Reality Bites, RTÉ2’s documentary strand, returns again this season with more fresh and engaging snapshots.
The Proposal The documentary follows New Orlean’s Rose Molly Molloy and Kyle Catlett as they reflect back on that night in The Rose of Tralee, and how the world reacted to their proposal story and follows them as they prepare for their wedding day.
Guardians of the City This one-hour documentary reveals the reality of policing in Dublin city centre with unprecedented access to Garda specialist units. From community policing projects and drug raids, to the work of the undercover street crime units, this is the story from behind the scenes with the men and women who guard our capital.
Vogue Does the Afterlife In 2010 Vogue Williams lost her father and, at a relatively young age, she was forced to consider: is death really the end? Immersing herself in the emotive world of the ‘Afterlife Business’ Vogue sets out to investigate if contacting the dead is simply a false hope peddled to the vulnerable or are claims of psychic abilities actually genuine?
Smack em up Fergal Devitt is an enigmatic Bray man who allows the cameras into his life showing us what it is like to be one of the biggest names in the bizarre and weird world of Japanese pro-wrestling. An exceptional story about a man following his boyhood dream.
Tongue Tied Comedian PJ Gallagher has secretly battled with Stage Fright since he first erupted onto our screens with Naked Camera. He’s now reached a crossroads; either he finds a way to overcome his crippling fear of performing or gives up the one thing he can actually do! A wry look at one of the world’s most common phobias.
Clubland Behind the scenes at the Wright Venue, Ireland’s biggest nightclub.
One Ocean- No Limits In early 2011 a group of six young rowers set off from Morocco with the aim of breaking the world record for transatlantic rowing. The documentary follows the highs and lows of life in a confined space and the challenges of 33 days non-stop rowing.
Silk Roads to Shanghai Using bicycles, kayaks and running, two young Irish guys David Burns and Maghnus Collins take on the challenge of travelling from Istanbul along the old silk route of Marco Polo to the Yangtze River and down into Shanghai.
Entertainment/Music/Lifestyle on RTÉ2
#Trending A six-part show presented by Darren Kennedy which will keep you plugged into fashion, pop culture, street style, celebrity trends and red carpet hits and misses. Every episode will feature insider tips on how to achieve the latest designer looks and celebrities will share their style secrets. RTÉ Player will have exclusive additional online content.
Second Captains Live The hugely popular series presented by Eoin McDevitt, Ken Early and Ciaran Murphy returns for its third series just in time for the November rugby internationals and some crucial Euro qualifiers.
Other Voices returns for it’s13th series of the show which showcases some of the most exciting music talent in an intimate live setting.
Ed Sheeran Special A special programme which includes exclusive interview and live footage with one of the most popular singer songwriters of his generation.
The Best of Electric Picnic a one-off documentary featuring highlights from this year’s festival.
New Pilots and Formats on RTÉ2
RTÉ2 continues to experiment and develop new programme formats which have the potential to be developed and sold around the world. Recent successful examples of formats which have sold abroad include Date with Fate and The Takeover.
Exiles: Vancouver New series which follows six young Irish people as they emigrate from Ireland to Canada to start a new life and chase their dreams.
The Unemployables is a brand new transformation series devised and presented by Jennifer Maguire and Darren Kennedy, who set out to try and help struggling young people get off the dole and on to a career path.
You Choose You Lose? Original comedy panel show hosted by Eoghan McDermott. Two teams, captained by Alison Spittle and Keith Farnan, battle it out over a series of rather silly ‘would you rather’ dilemmas.
Then Comes Marriage Three couples get the opportunity to prepare for their future life together at the ultimate relationship skills crash course. The relationship counsellors will help couples ask the big questions they haven’t already asked – or don’t want to ask – questions around finances, sex and intimacy, conflict management, communication and compatibility.
NEWS on RTÉ2
RTE2 will be offering viewers revamped news bulletins on the channel.
News Feed A new nightly bulletin presented by Carla O’Brien, a multimedia journalist with RTÉ News and former presenter of News2day.
News2day RTÉ’s television news service designed specifically for children and features Irish and international news of interest to a young audience. This September new presenter Nick Sheridan, 22, from Wexford, joins Orla Walsh on the team.
SPORT on RTÉ2
In another busy year of sport RTÉ2 continues to offer the most comprehensive free-to-air sports coverage of Irish sports stars in action.
All Ireland Football Final Donegal face Kerry in the All Ireland Football Final on September 21 as another fantastic year of Championship action reaches a thrilling climax. Plus the All Ireland Hurling Final Replay on September 27th,
European Qualifiers The Martin O’Neill and Roy Keane era gets underway in earnest with the Republic of Ireland’s Euro 2016 qualifying campaign live on RTÉ Two with four qualifiers before Christmas.
Champions League Live The Champions League returns to Wednesday nights on RTÉ Two beginning on September 17 as Man City travel to take on Bayern Munich.
Autumn Internationals Joe Schmidt’s Six Nations champions Ireland face South Africa, Georgia and Australia in the Autumn International series.
Irish Champions Weekend Irish Champions Weekend brings two iconic Irish Racing fixtures and racecourses, the Irish Champion Stakes at Leopardstown and the Irish St. Leger at the Curragh together on one weekend.
YOUNG PEOPLES on RTÉ2
RTÉ2 is the biggest creator of programme for children and teenagers in Ireland. Highlights this season include
Blue Zoo 13-part observational documentary series that follows eight young Irish and Australian marine animal enthusiasts as they embark on an intense six-week training mission in New South Wales.
Una’s Dream Ticket From having tea with the president to swimming with dolphins, from cooking with Neven Maguire to performing a duet with Shane Filan, Una Foden from The Saturdays is back, making the biggest, the best and the craziest dreams come true for children all over the country!
Elev8 Diana and Sean have been busy moving back into the elev8 loft after a summer of fun adventures, and are now ready to bring your daily doses of entertainment, sport, science, nature, and weird n’ wacky news!
Music Inc. Ten music mad, young Irish students take part in a new eight part series which sees them get a weekly backstage pass to meet and work with some of the biggest names in the music industry.
Two Tube Celebrity interviews, exclusive music performances, and the latest gossip on movies, fashion, TV and breaking showbiz news. Blathnaid and Stephen will keep you up to date.
Film on RTÉ2
RTÉ2 are delighted to partner with the Bord Scannán na hÉireann/the Irish Film board (IFB) aiming to screen a host of Irish feature films on Saturday nights. To mark this new partnership RTÉ2 will screen the first TV broadcast of the hit film The Hardy Bucks Movie, which was released in cinemas last year. This partnership underlines RTÉ2s and the IFB’s commitment to showcase the best of Irish talent. Irish movies are always a huge hit with viewers and RTÉ2 viewers can look forward to exciting Irish movies like The Guard, Adam and Paul, When Harvey Met Bob, The Boxer and What Richard Did.
DRAMA & COMEDY FROM THE US
Vikings – Second series of the popular family saga which is filmed in Ireland.
Outlander: Starring Irish actress Caitriona Balfe as Claire Randall as a married combat nurse who is mysteriously swept from 1945 back to 1743 and thrown into the middle of the Scottish rebellion against the British army.
Scorpion: Inspired by a true story, this is a high-octane drama about eccentric Irish genius Walter O’Brien and his team of brilliant misfits who comprise the last line of defence against complex, high-tech threats of the modern age.
How to Get Away with Murder: On the surface, Criminal Law professor Annalise Keating (Academy-Award Nominee Viola Davis) seems like she has it all but her relationship with a local Philadelphia detective, Nate will force her to confront secrets about her life.
Homeland.Season 4 of Homeland returns as Carrie’s career at the CIA takes off when she becomes an overseas station chief in a highly volatile region, but every drone strike and tactical raid comes at a cost and she quickly learns the true price of power. The series premiers just 2 days after the US transmission.
Resurrection The people of Arcadia, Missouri are forever changed when their deceased loved ones suddenly start to reappear. Based on the book The Returned by Jason Mott, Resurrection stars Omar Epps (House), Frances Fisher (Titanic) and Matt Craven (Crimson Tide).
Mad Men The seventh and final season of Mad Men airs on RTÉ Two this autumn. Opening in January 1969, Don visits the West Coast to salvage his marriage to Megan, while secretly feeding Freddy copy for a pitch in order to impress Peggy, who is at odds with her new boss, Lou Avery.
Returning: CSI, The Big Bang Theory, Revenge, Grey’s Anatomy, Marvel’s Agents of SHIELD, New Girl, Masters of Sex, Brooklyn 99, and Two Broke Girls.
Digital
With nearly 60% of under-24s watching TV programmes on RTÉ Player, it’s clear that audiences want more control and choice about how, where and when they watch their TV programmes. This season, RTÉ Player, is expanding and evolving to offer audiences more exclusive online content with exclusive content for shows like Connected and #Trending. Audiences can also subscribe to watch programme previews and teasers on the new RTÉ2 You Tube channel.