In what will be the longest goodbye in the history of Irish broadcasting, George Hook has announced his retirement but not just yet.
The outspoken broadcaster (72) and scourge of a generation of Irish rugby coaches will retire from television after the 2015 Rugby World Cup which takes place in the autumn of next year.
He will retire from his radio show, The Right Hook, a year after that in September 2016.
Hook made his announcement on his Twitter account this afternoon.
“Plan to leave TV after Rugby World Cup 2015 DV (Deus vult - God spares us)” followed by “The Right Hook will end at the end of September 2016 if God spares me”.
Hook has been with Newstalk since its beginning in 2002 and was its undoubted top star until Pat Kenny came on board last year.
In a separate tweet, Hook wrote: “Today is the first day of the 12th season of the Right Hook I never imagined that would happen.”
Hook’s trenchant style of broadcasting has made him friends and enemies in equal measure.
Uniquely for the presenter of a mainstream current affairs show, he has put his own views front and centre of his shows as evidenced by his interview with Colm Keaveney last month when he joined Fianna Fáil.
When Keaveney tried to interpret a Hook diatribe by saying “you talking about cynicism in Irish politics”, he responded: “I’m looking at it!”.
He has put his own personal life into his current affairs programme, frequently referring to the “lovely Ingrid” - his wife.
Hook has had a double act with fellow rugby pundit Brent Pope for years and the break up of their partnership will be missed by many fans of rugby on RTÉ Two.
