Ryan Tubridy may not be as shiny a star as Virgin Radio hopes, according to one radio presenter.
WLR FM presenter Damien Tiernan was speaking after Tubridy was announced as the host of Virgin Radio UK's mid-morning chat show.
The former Late Late Show presenter will be on-air from 10am to 1pm Monday to Friday from January.
Tubridy will broadcast live from London and simultaneously on Dublin's Q102, which is owned by the same radio group.
He will also present a dedicated Irish weekend show across a number of stations in Dublin, Cork and Limerick.
Damien Tiernan told The Hard Shoulder while he wished him well, Tubridy still had to prove himself to Virgin.
"They think he's a shining star; he may not be as shiny a star as they hope," he said.
"It's going to take around two years for him to bed in - if it doesn't work out he'll be out the gap.
"There will be people judging him, the Murdoch executives will be judging him.
"Chris Evans... is madly promoting him, so Chris needs Ryan to be successful too".
'A wrong decision'
Damien said the tie-up with Irish stations could see some changes here.
"Some presenters there are going to be losing their slots, losing their shows, possibly losing their jobs," he said.
"It's a gamble for them - they're going to basically say, 'We are going to consolidate here with a syndicated show'.
"I don't think this is good for local radio, I think it's a wrong decision by Coimisiún na Meán... I think it's a slippery slope," he added.
'Win-win situation'
London-based journalist Enda Brady told the show he thinks it's a win for Tubridy.
"It's a wonderful win-win situation I think for them and for Ryan Tubridy," he said.
"News Corp is the parent company, so it's the Murdoch's, and they've huge listenership.
"Chris Evans is on directly before what will now be The Ryan Tubridy Show from 10am till 1pm.
"They also have Ricky Wilson, who people will remember and know from the Kaiser Chiefs, he's on in the evening.
"They spend money, they've got money, they make money".
He said the presenters there are on "well into six-figures."
'A fresh start'
Enda said he thinks it's a win for Virgin because of Tubridy's background.
"They could never have dreamed of getting Ryan when he was happily embedded with The Late Late Show and 2fm," he said.
"They're getting a brilliant broadcaster and I think they're getting a guy who wants a fresh start.
"The whole RTÉ debacle got next-to-no coverage over here whatsoever.
"He has Chris Evans in his corner, they're friends, and Chris Evans is a fantastic fella and he gets what he wants.
"He's helped him, he's backed him, he's got him introductions to people and I think Chris Evans will have said to the radio bosses at Virgin, 'You want to get this fella onboard'," he added.
RTÉ was thrust into scandal when it emerged it had been paying Tubridy significantly more than it had declared to the public or the Oireachtas.
RTÉ announced in August that Tubridy would not be returning to his presenting role there, with Director-General Kevin Bakhurst saying he had "decided not to continue with negotiations" with him.
The scandal brought RTÉ’s wider financial woes to light and earlier this week, the broadcaster set out its 'strategic vision' for the future - including plans to cut 400 jobs.
