Ryan Tubridy has confirmed his next career move after leaving RTE in August.
The former Late Late Show host announced this morning that he is joining UK station Virgin Radio as a presenter.
Speaking on the station, Tubridy confirmed he will begin a new show on January 4. The 50-year-old also said he will be relocating to London.
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In an official announcement from Virgin Radio, the station confirmed Ryan will join the the weekday on-air crew and head up the mid-morning show on Virgin Radio from 10am to 1pm Monday to Friday.
Tubridy said in a statement: "I couldn’t be more excited to start this new chapter with Virgin Radio. New city, new station, new beginnings. I love radio and what a joy to be following the legendary Chris Evans every morning! It’s been a pleasure getting to know my new friends at Virgin Radio, all of whom have been warm, engaging and very entertaining!
"And big thanks to the London Irish who have made me feel so welcome in recent weeks. On a personal note, this is a big day for my wonderful family who I hope to make proud, and also the people who advised me so well recently and got me to this moment.
"To the listeners, wherever they might be, I urge you to join us on this adventure every weekday morning, there is much fun to be had!"
Ryan appeared on The Chris Evans Breakfast Show on Virgin Radio on Thursday morning to meet his new colleagues where they discussed his departure from RTE and the new role in British radio.
He said the move felt "serendipitous" and used an analogy of being "mugged by God in a hoodie" that was given to him by the late Sinead O'Connor.
Speaking on the show, Ryan said: "This is quite surreal, I am desperately excited. I start a new job, in a new city, a new station, in a few weeks time and I don't know where to begin!"
He continued: "When things happen in your life that can be a bit curious and a bit weird, you can have a bumpy time... and about two weeks before she died, Sinead O'Connor got in touch with me and she said 'How are you doing?'
"I said 'I'm doing great' and she said 'You know in life you think things have gone weird?' and I said 'Yea' and she said 'You just get mugged by God in a hoodie'.
"I said 'You'll have to explain that to me'. She said 'Well you're kind of beaten up by this guy who steals your wallet and punches you in the face [you think it's awful] and he walks away, takes the hood down and it's a really nice person - or God - and he goes 'You're welcome' because you needed that to happen.'
"So I think being mugged by God in a hoodie is not a bad thing and that mugging has brought me here today."
Ryan said he has a few things to sort out before he starts with the new job in January as he revealed he has not yet decided where to live in London.
He received a number of suggestions from the Virgin Radio crew on air including Primrose Hill and Hampstead Heath but Ryan said he had a few preferences as to the type of area he was looking for.
Ryan said: "I've been looking around, people have said Putney.... I like a little village feel, [some bookshops], a nice pub."
Discussing his time as host of the Late Late Show, he was asked by Chris Evans who was the "best ever guest" he had on the show with Ryan revealing two names; Ed Sheeran and Russell Crowe.
"It's very hard to beat Ed Sheeran when he's looking at you with a guitar in front of him and Russell Crowe was always the craic, he was great fun!" he said.
Earlier this morning, Tubridy posted a cryptic video from the back of a London taxi, using a radio emoji hinting at his next venture. He said: "Good morning everybody. I am in the back of a London cab heading to a building near the River Thames where I'll be making quite a big announcement in my world in about 45 minutes. So keep an eye on the Insta now and I'll give you all the details you'll need to know very soon."
A number of his celebrity friends took to the comments including Doireann Garrihy who said: "Go on Ryan."
Pippa O'Connor Ormond wrote, "Go get em Ryan", while Lucy Kennedy replied, "Very exciting!!!!!".
The announcement comes after months of speculation over his next career following his dramatic departure from RTE earlier this year.
He had fuelled speculation that a move to the UK could be on the cards in recent months, with a high-profile visit to London, where he appeared on Chris Evans’ radio show and was pictured catching up with Piers Morgan.
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