RT One and RT2 reveal brand new gems for new season

RT One and RT 2 reveal brand new gems for new season

24 August 2017: Over 60 new shows and series across RT One and RT 2

Big family entertainment, world-class drama, state-of-the-art natural history, home-grown comedy and compelling real life stories are at the heart of RT 's new season television schedule, unveiled today.

The line-up boasts over 60 new shows and series across factual, entertainment, arts, comedy, lifestyle and drama programming. A host of RT 's most recognisable faces joined new talent to celebrate the event in RT 's Studio 4.

Speaking at the launch RT 's Director-General, Dee Forbes, said: "This autumn and winter RT will offer big, beautiful and captivating natural history programmes; a strong line-up of female led- dramas; and a range of ambitious, incisive documentaries that tell Ireland s story. RT is making new comedy with new young writers; RT is bringing the arts to big audiences through a host of new authored documentaries; RT is partnering with more national cultural institutions and organisations than ever before. Supported by the backbone of RT - news and sport - these new schedules demonstrate a passion for public service media, a commitment to working with others, new talent and new faces, and delivers standout national moments. Our ambition - our role - is to captivate the nation, and this new schedule demonstrates that, RT will continue to put great Irish content at the heart of what we do."

Channel Controller for RT One and RT 2 Adrian Lynch said: "We've worked with the best of Irish creative talent to deliver quality programming of scale for Irish audiences. From programming for families such as Dancing with the Stars, Weather Watch Live, and Ireland's Deep Atlantic to landmark documentaries, compelling drama, and more from the RT Investigates team. Telling Irish stories, celebrating our culture and shining a light on contemporary issues we're delivering a broad range of programming to Irish audiences this new season".

RT also announced today that it is redeveloping its video on demand service, RT Player, to offer audiences more choice and more content in the New Year. Following on from its 1916 commemorative programming last year, RT also said it intends to mark the significant events around the foundation of the state from 1918-1922 with a slate of programming and events.

Watch previews of the new season on RT One and RT 2 here: https://youtu.be/vzG3lpV0BNs and https://youtu.be/PMXdhIUUGz8

Telling the Nation's Stories

Both RT One and RT 2 continue to shine a light on who we are as a people with a broad range of programming reflecting every aspect of living in Ireland.

Leading off this year's factual programming on RT One is a series of documentaries tackling inequality in Ireland with Dr Eva Orsmond asking whether where you are born and raised dictates your life expectancy in Ireland's Health Divide; Joe Duffy exploring how where you went to school impacts your life in The Classroom Divide; and Philip Boucher Hayes tackling how we work and what we earn in What Are You Working For?

Other highlights include:

Haunted - Revealing documentary on the life of IRA volunteer Dolours Price.

No Country for Women Two part documentary looking at the relationship between women and the Irish State over the past 100 years, from restricting their ability to work to blocking access to fertility control.

The Axel Foley Story One year on from his untimely passing, this documentary celebrates Axel Foley and his journey from a working class Limerick suburb to the pinnacle of international rugby.

The Game - A definitive history of hurling in three-parts produced in partnership with the BAI and the GAA

Baz Ashmawy explores the topic of gambling in a probing new documentary.

We Won the Lotto - With the Lotto celebrating 30 years this year, this documentary meets some of the winners who scored really big and goes behind the scenes at Lotto HQ as one of the country's newest millionaires arrives to collect their winnings.

Shergar - Thirty years on from Shergar's infamous disappearance, this documentary charts his extraordinary story with starring roles for an IRA supergrass who believes he knows what happened, and a Sunday Telegraph racing correspondent who thought he was going to die.

Golden - One hour documentary about couples in Ireland who have been married for over 50 years. Each couple will share the ups and downs of over a half century of love.

Fab Vinnie - Thirty years on from his death, this Irish language documentary looks at Vincent Hanley's story both in front of the camera as host of the cutting edge MT USA and his journey from small town Ireland to the bright lights of the Big Apple.

RT 2 viewers can expect a broad range of documentaries from the insightful and groundbreaking to the entertaining and tongue-in-cheek. Highlights include:

Schizophrenia: The Voices in my Head Tracking the daily lives of Irish people living with schizophrenia, a first for Irish television.

My Trans Life Groundbreaking series following the lives of young transgender people in Ireland as they transition

Trauma Life and Death in A&E - Four-part series giving viewers unprecedented insight into the challenging, exciting, stressful world of medical emergencies at four Irish hospitals.

Vogue in this three part series, Vogue Williams looks at sperm donation, sugar daddies and, the epidemic of our time, anxiety.

Irish in Wonderland - Sherlock star Yasmine Akram meets the Irish people making their own fortune serving the super-rich

Alison Spittle's Culchie Club Westmeath born comedian Alison Spittle travels across Ireland looking for answers as she investigates what makes a Culchie a Culchie

The Rich List Joe O'Shea guides viewers through the top 30 billionaires and millionaires who m

LINK:	http://www.rte.ie/about/en/press-office/press-releases/2017/0824/89968...
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