Host of TV Stars for IFTA Gala Awards Night

Friday 28th May 2018

Stars of Ireland’s TV screens will light up the red carpet at this year’s IFTA Gala Television Awards Ceremony on Thursday night at the prestigious RDS Concert Hall, and broadcast on TG4.

Jason Byrne will host the glamorous occasion with a full house of Ireland’s favourite TV stars and personalities coming together for one night to shine a spotlight on the great work and achievements of the home industry.

Guests confirmed to attend (with more names to be announced in the coming days);
The young ‘Derry Girls’ and the ‘Young Offenders’ will be dressing up for the occasion alongside the cast of ‘Mrs Brown’s Boys’ and the glamorous ‘Dancing with the Stars’ personalities and leading characters from ‘Fair City’, ‘Red Rock’, ‘Ros Na Rún’ and ‘Ireland’s Got Talent’.

Tommy Tiernan, Deirdre O’Kane, Des Bishop, Sharon Horgan, Jennifer Zamparelli and Apres Match look set to make it a great night of entertainment.

Guests also attending on the night include Gay Byrne, Miriam O’Callaghan, Patrick Bergin, Ryan Tubridy, Kathryn Thomas, Brendan O’Connor, Sharon Ní Bheoláin, Vincent Browne, Elaine Crowley, Claire Byrne, Matt Cooper, John Connors, Karen Koster (tbc), Dermot Bannon, Amanda Byram, Marty Morrissey, Aoibhín Garrihy, Nicky Byrne, Glenda Gilson, Amanda Brunker.

Also attending will be Pippa O’Connor, Linda Martin, Twink, Anna Daly, Maria Walsh, Síle Seoige, Brendan Courtney, Johnny Giles, Tommy Byrne, Bernard Dunne, Pauline McLynn, John Creedon, Hector Ó hEochagáin, Seán McGinley, Cathy Belton, Hilary Rose, Saoirse-Monika Jackson, Alex Walley, Chris Murphy, Stefanie Preissner, Lisa McGee, Peter Foott, Jason Butler, Cathy Brady, Diarmuid Goggins, John McColgan & Moya Doherty, Niamh Kavanagh and Bill Whelan among others.

Some of Ireland’s favourite UK soap characters and reality shows personalities will also be jetting in to mingle with Irish stars of television, including Callum Best, Jorgie Porter (Hollyoaks), Ryan Thomas (Eastenders), Amber Davis (Love Island), Kym Marsh (Coronation Street).

Legendary Shay Healy will receive the Academy Lifetime Achievement Award and the Late Late Show House Band will lead the way for the exciting Aftershow at the venue, with a host of special musical guests joining in the celebrations into the small hours.

Academy CEO, Aine Moriarty said: “What a great lineup of guests we have this year along with some true Irish TV legends. The Academy is proud to put this night together for the TV industry, to ensure that Irish TV talent and creators are given the recognition they deserve, for their achievements and hard work”.

The 2018 IFTA Gala Television Awards, which are sponsored by Gala Retail, take place at the RDS in Dublin on Thursday 31st May 2018.

TG4 are hosting the official broadcast for the Television Awards this year, with a primetime slot of 9.25pm on Saturday night (2nd June). RTÉ will continue to be the official broadcaster for the annual Film Awards in February.

Twenty-three Awards will be handed out on the night for programmes across all Irish broadcasters RTÉ One, RTÉ2, TV3, be3, TG4 and BBC Northern Ireland. The Nominations have been shortlisted by Members of the Irish Academy along with Irish and international jury panels of industry experts.

The 2018 IFTA Gala Television Awards take place in the RDS on Thursday May 31st 2018.

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