RT 2 announces increase in home-production with over 30 new series and 18 documentaries for new season
RT 2 today unveiled its most ambitious documentary and factual entertainment schedule to date, boasting over 30 new and returning series along with over 18 new documentaries, featuring a host of leading Irish talent.
From the Rubberbandits Guide to 1916 to Louise McSharry's personal journey in F**k Cancer, the new season sees more Irish-produced documentaries, comedy and entertainment for 15-34 year olds than any other channel in Ireland, along with an unrivalled selection of sporting action.
Other highlights include new factual entertainment series from Baz Ashmawy, Angela Scanlon, Vogue Williams, Maia Dunphy, Bressie and The McDonaghs alongside an Irish version of the hit international format, First Dates.
Speaking at today's launch on the Second Captains Live set, which was attended by stars of the new line-up, Channel Controller RT 2 Bill Malone said: Being a strong, relevant, contemporary Irish voice in a sea of huge multinational media companies is what makes RT 2 unique. Irish programming has been central to the rejuvenation of RT 2 and today we're announcing an increase in hard-hitting documentaries and factual programming as well as brand-new comedy, entertainment and an unrivalled sports line-up that will challenge and entertain our audience in the months ahead. It features a host of Irish talent that RT 2 has developed and nurtured as well as some fresh faces and strong female voices, something I'm particularly proud of.'
Twenty new episodes of the hard-hitting Reality Bites strand, which reflects real Irish life, will be delivered on Thursday nights, tackling topics from cancer to mothers on methadone, sulky racing, dangerous dog breeds and recreational drug use. The series also introduces some fresh faces to RT 2: Louise McSharry tells her deeply personal journey of battling cancer; Nine Stone Lighter follows Jules Coll through her life changing gastric-band surgery; and RT 2fm Breakfast Republic's Keith Walsh and other volunteers subject themselves to gruelling training and nutrition plans in pursuit of the perfect body in The Gun Show.
There's a strong line-up of leading female talent as Maia Dunphy, Angela Scanlon and Vogue Williams each host a documentary series this season: Maia looks at matters close to her own heart, childbirth and the modern Irish emigrant experience, Angela explores celebrity life for some well known Irish names including WWE's Sheamus in Close Encounters, and Vogue meets women who defy traditional perceptions of the fairer sex' as three-part series Mean Girls looks at the sexually adventurous, the MMA fighting and some law breaking women.
Baz Ashmawy returns to RT 2 to explore his Muslim heritage in a compelling new documentary series, The Lost Muslim, while Bressie tackles a subject close to his heart as he seeks to demonstrate the link between physical exercise and positive mental health, training four people to compete in a gruelling half-Ironman challenge in Bressie's Iron Mind.
Other new factual programming includes two-part series The Guards which goes behind the scenes of frontline policing in Dublin's city centre and new series Young, Dumb and Deadly looks at high profile Irish crimes from one punch deaths to murder - caused by wreckless behaviour and committed by young people in Ireland and abroad. New series Wasted explores life for Ireland's twentysomethings scraping by on social welfare and navigating unpaid internships while Nurses, follows six recently graduated nurses at the coalface in some of the country's busiest hospitals and care institutions. Panti comes to 2 as the feature length documentary Panti: The Queen of Ireland follows Ireland's most famous drag queen and self-styled accidental activist .
Comedy continues to play a key role on the channel as The Republic of Telly spawns another hit with 80's-tastic pair Bridget and Eamon getting their own series, while The Rubberbandits' Guide to 1916 provides a crash course in Irish history. Brand new series Apr s Match of the Day revisits the glory days of Irish sport and in Eureka, Neil Delamere puts himself in peril to demonstrate the eureka moments' of our time, while audiences favourites Republic of Telly, Hardy Bucks and The Fear return with some new faces and characters. RT 2 continues to deliver top international drama with the return of hit series, Vikings, Homeland and CSI plus new series, Deutschland 83.
For younger viewers, Swipe TV begins its first full run as a cross-platform show as a new app is introduced to make content available to audiences wherever they are and allow them to interact with the show. There's new talent too as new presenter Claire O'Reilly joins Simon Mulcahy. Two Tube returns for more early-evening teenage culture with Blathnaid Treacy and Stephen Byrne and will explore themes around 1916 as the anniversary approaches. Brand new series Insiders delves into the science at the heart of sport, entertainment and space, while Around the Block catches up with the children who made the award-winning On the Block documentaries, charting their own lives six years ago.
NewsFeed provides bite-size daily news fixes with Carla O'Brien each weeknight and new face Gill Stedman joins Nick Sheridan on News2day as it continues to deliver Irish and International news for younger audiences.
RT 2 maintains an unrivalled selection of Sporting action this season including the Republic of Ireland's crucial remaining Euro 2016 qualifiers, Ireland's tilt at a third RBS 6 Nations title in-a-row, the All-Ireland Football final and the World Boxing Championships from Qatar. RT 2 is also the home for free-to-air Wednesday night live Champions League action, live SSE Airtr
