Gráinne Seoige

Gráinne Seoige
Born (1973-11-05) 5 November 1973 (age 51)
Spiddal, County Galway, Ireland
EducationB.A. in English, Sociology and Political Science
Higher Diploma in Applied Communications for Television and Radio (through Irish)
Alma materUniversity College Galway
OccupationTV presenter
Agent(s)Carol & Associates, carolandassociates.com
Notable credit(s)Seoige
People of the Year Awards
The All Ireland Talent Show
Up for the Match
Put 'Em Under Pressure Daybreak
Political partyFianna Fáil
Spouse
Stephen Cullinane
​
​
(m. 2002; div. 2010)​
Leon Jordaan
​
(m. 2019)​
Children1 son by Ultan O'Brien
RelativesSíle Seoige (sister)
Websitewww.grainneseoige.co.uk[dead link]

Gráinne Seoige (Irish pronunciation: [ˈɡɾˠaːn̠ʲə ˈʃoːɟə]; born 5 November 1973) is an Irish journalist, news anchor and documentary and entertainment television presenter.[1][2][3] A noted Irish language supporter, Seoige is the only television personality to have worked with all four Irish terrestrial television stations—TG4, TV3, RTÉ One and RTÉ2—and to have read the inaugural news bulletins on three separate channels—TG4, TV3, and Sky News Ireland.

In August 2024, Seoige announced her intention to run for the Fianna Fáil nomination to become a Teachta Dála in the Galway West constituency at the 2024 general election.[4]

Early life

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The eldest of four children, Seoige was born in Spiddal to Philomena and Mairtín Seoige. Gráinne's youngest sibling, her sister Síle, is also a television presenter. Gráinne was raised in Galway and attended Mercy Convent, Spiddal, before studying at University College Galway (UCG) and graduating with a B.A. in English, Sociology and Political Science. Seoige then went on to complete a Higher Diploma in Applied Communications for Television and Radio through Irish, also at UCG.[5]

Broadcasting career

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TG4/TV3

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Seoige began her broadcasting career on Halloween, 31 October 1996, with the launch of Teilifís na Gaeilge (now TG4) anchoring the 10pm news bulletin with Gillian Ní Cheallaigh.[6] She stayed at TG4 until 1998, when she was asked to be launch anchor with independent broadcaster TV3 and presented TV3's 5:30pm News (also known as First Edition) and 6:30pm News with Alan Cantwell. Seoige also hosted News Tonight, as well as producing, writing and presenting news updates throughout the day. She also presented occasionally, Ireland's only breakfast programme, TV3's breakfast show Ireland AM. Seoige was on air when the 9/11 terror attack happened and anchored over 7 hours of live news coverage alone that day.

Sky News

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Seoige was head hunted to move to Sky News Ireland and presented its news bulletins from 10 May 2004. She presented bulletins at Sky News headquarters anchoring on every programme between 12 midnight and 12 noon.

RTÉ

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Seoige joined Ireland's main national broadcaster, RTÉ, in 2006. From 2006 to 2009, she co-presented an afternoon chat show, Seoige (also known as Seoige and O'Shea), with her sister Síle, while from 2011 to 2016 she co-presented the series Crimecall. Other high-profile roles for her at RTÉ included hosting the People of the Year Awards (2008), co-presenting the Up for the Match sport specials (2008), and presenting The All Ireland Talent Show (2009–2011) and the sports quiz show, Put 'Em Under Pressure.[7][8]

Seoige also fronted documentary series for RTÉ, including Gráinne Seoige's Modern Life (2011) and Great Irish Journeys, which explored Ireland during the Great Famine. A fluent Irish speaker, Seoige often appears on Tell Me a Story, a programme on the subsidiary children's channel RTÉjr, in which she tells stories in Irish.[9]

In 2022, Seoige appeared on the fifth series of the Irish version of Dancing With the Stars.[10][11] She was partnered with John Nolan. The couple ended up finishing in 8th place.

ITV

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During 2010, Seoige appeared regularly on British channel ITV, as a presenter on breakfast programme GMTV and as features editor on ITV Breakfast's morning programme Daybreak.[12][13][14] She covered both national and international news.

BBC One

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In 2011, she appeared on the BBC One series That's Britain[15] covering issues including train overcrowding and energy prices.

Personal life

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Seoige has a son, Conall, who was born when she was 20.[16] In 2002, Seoige married former TV3 colleague and long-term partner Stephen Cullinane; they divorced in 2010.[3][17] Seoige was honoured by NUI Galway in 2007 with an Alumni Award for her services to the Irish language.

Seoige announced her engagement to South African businessman and former rugby coach Leon Jordaan in 2014.[17][18] In 2016, Seoige relocated to Pretoria, South Africa, and launched a bespoke diamond dealing business.[19] Seoige and Jordaan married in December 2019.[20]

References

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  1. ^ Horan, Niamh (26 April 2009). "It's 'only a matter of time' until Grainne reads the news on RTÉ". Sunday Independent. Retrieved 26 April 2009. A number of RTÉ staff have spoken of the likelihood that the gaelgeoir will return to a more serious broadcasting role on the evening news.
  2. ^ McIntyre, Sarah (23 March 2010). "Interview with Gráinne Seoige". RTÉ. Archived from the original on 5 June 2011. Retrieved 23 March 2010.
  3. ^ a b Caden, Sarah (6 September 2009). "Grainne Seoige: 'reports of my demise have been greatly exaggerated'". Sunday Independent. Retrieved 6 September 2009. "I couldn't do what I did last year again," says Grainne, intermittently eating her lunch between shots for this piece, hair half up for the Audrey Hepburn pictures.
  4. ^ Molony, Senan (14 August 2024). "Gráinne Seoige will next week lodge papers seeking to run for Fianna Fáil in general election". Irish Independent. Retrieved 14 August 2024.
  5. ^ Collins, Liam (11 January 2004). "Not the Nine O'Clock News for Sky's Grainne". Sunday Independent. Grainne Seoige was educated in Spiddal, Co Galway and studied English and Political Science in University College Galway before completing a Higher Diploma in Communications.
  6. ^ Nolan, Larissa (24 September 2006). "Nuacht a lae: Seoige goes back to TG4". Sunday Independent. Retrieved 24 September 2006.
  7. ^ "Seoige – Presenters". RTÉ. Archived from the original on 9 October 2008.
  8. ^ "Gráinne Seoige to present new talent show". RTÉ. 6 November 2008. Retrieved 13 March 2021.
  9. ^ RTÉjr webpage on Tell Me a Story
  10. ^ O’Donoghue, Denise (10 December 2021). "Dancing with the Stars: Gráinne Seoige and Ellen Keane among first celebrity dancers". Irish Examiner.
  11. ^ "Gráinne Seoige and Ellen Keane among first contestants revealed for new Dancing With the Stars". independent.
  12. ^ Hogan, Louise (19 April 2010). "Lady luck abandons us but Irish sweep fashion stakes". Irish Independent. Retrieved 19 April 2010.
  13. ^ LN (21 April 2010). "Grounded Grainne to turn on style for new racing gig with GMTV". Evening Herald. Retrieved 21 April 2010.
  14. ^ Daybreaking news! Archived 23 July 2010 at the Wayback Machine GMTV, 20 July 2010
  15. ^ "BBC One – That's Britain Episode Guide". BBC. 14 December 2011. Retrieved 14 December 2011.
  16. ^ "Awww... a rare look at Grainne as a young mum – Herald.ie". Herald.ie. Retrieved 19 June 2017.
  17. ^ a b ""Grainne Seoige plans not one wedding, but two"". BreakingNews.ie. 23 July 2014. Archived from the original on 25 July 2014. Retrieved 7 October 2016.
  18. ^ Pattison, Brynmor (27 April 2014). "TV beauty Grainne Seoige's happy news: Star announces engagement to Leon Jordaan". Irish Daily Mirror. Archived from the original on 7 October 2016. Retrieved 7 October 2016.
  19. ^ "'Year of excitement' as Grainne Seoige's RTE contract ends – Independent.ie". Independent.ie. Retrieved 19 June 2017.
  20. ^ Murphy, Eoin (29 December 2019). "'We couldn't be happier' – Gráinne Seoige's 'magical' winter wedding". Independent.ie. Retrieved 31 March 2020.
Interviews
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