Virgin Media Television has announced that Ciara Doherty will co-host a new series of ‘The Tonight Show’.

The current affairs programme starts on Tuesday 1st September at 10pm on Virgin Media One.

Ciara, who hails from Letterkenny, is a qualified barrister and has reported and presented ‘Ireland AM’, Ireland’s number one breakfast TV show on Virgin Media One for the last ten years. She studied law in UCD Dublin and Broadcast Journalism at the London College of Communications.

Virgin Media Television announces Ciara Doherty as new ‘Tonight Show’ presenter.

Ciara, replacing Ivan Yates, will share presenting duties with Matt Cooper every Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, giving their unique analysis and insight on the big stories of the day, with panel discussions on topics that have the country talking, as people try to return to a new normal living alongside Covid-19. And as always, all the latest breaking political and economic news.

Commenting on her new position, Ciara Doherty said;

“I am delighted to be joining a programme as established as The Tonight Show on Virgin Media One and of course to be working alongside a broadcaster as respected as Matt Cooper.

“It’s exciting to be moving into this role at a time when we are all experiencing such change in our lives and uncertainty in the world around us. 

“This programme has garnered a reputation for being uncompromising and straight talking and I look forward to continuing that tradition. I have been working for this station for over a decade and I can see that now, more than ever, Virgin Media Television viewers are relying on our news and analysis, to give them the facts and truth. It’s up to broadcasters to hold people to account and ask the questions our viewers need answered. I look forward to taking on that mantle for them. And who knows, we might have some fun along the way”.

Virgin Media Television announces Ciara Doherty as new ‘Tonight Show’ presenter alongside Matt Cooper

The Tonight Show has seen record viewership figures this year. Viewership is up 35 per cent year on year with an average of 120,000 viewers nightly, with more than 2.2 million viewers tuning into the series since the outbreak of Covid-19 in March 2020.

Ciara is not the only skilled Donegal broadcaster to step into a new position in the media this month. Andrea Gilligan, from Ballyshannon, is also making the move to the popular Lunchtime Live slot on Newstalk FM, taking over from Ciara Kelly on August 31st.