Remember me
Brian Dowling has set the record straight on his departure from 98FM with Suzanne Kane, after two years of working at the station.
Brian announced his departure in June, while Suzanne, who had already been off the air for several months, confirmed her exit shortly before Brian’s announcement.
Their mysterious exits sparked plenty of chatter online, with rumours of a rift between the co-hosts circulating in the press.
Brian Dowling and Suzanne Kane | 98FM
Speaking about his decision to walk away from the show, during an exclusive interview with Goss.ie, Brian confirmed he had the opportunity to stay at the station for two or three more years, but he ultimately decided to leave in February.
“It took me a while to kind of get to that, but again, I had control of how it was going to end for me. I think that’s very, very important,” he said.
“But when I had made that decision to leave 98FM, Today FM had approached me and asked me to fill in for Dave Moore. To do some shows with Jennifer Zamperrelli and to host on my own for a week or for two weeks.”
Brian Dowling and Suzanne Kane | 98FM
Addressing the rumours that circulated about his departure, Brian says: “There was a lot of stuff being said that was not true. I had the best time at 98FM. When it was good, it was great. When it wasn’t so good, it wasn’t so good. And then it was time to go.”
“I had an amazing opportunity at 98FM, Pat Gill and Bauer took me on with no radio experience. I remember when I joined, Suzanne would have carried the show and carried me at the start. Then I just found my own feet.”
“And when it worked, it really worked. You get really lucky in situations when you’re put with people, and it works out. It doesn’t always go that way. But I think what you have to do is you have to be responsible, and you have to own it.
Brian Dowling | Photo by Claire Boshell for Goss.ie
“I wasn’t expecting the reaction that it was, I wasn’t expecting the lies that were alleged and put out about me, because that is the furthest from the truth.”
“I don’t pay attention to that because it’s so not the truth, and it’s so not what the space was. Everyone who was there and people who are there know the truth. I hear stuff, and I’m back there all the time now with Today FM.”
“And also, I want to highlight to people, I think if everything had happened at that space, there’s no way I’d be back on national radio with the same company two weeks later. It wouldn’t make sense.”
“I think I didn’t have to say anything because I wouldn’t be back on national radio working on Today FM with the same company. I was only there recently, doing three days.”
Brian Dowling | Photo by Claire Boshell for Goss.ie
In terms of the rumour mill going into overdrive about the shock exit, Brian said that he was surprised.
“I wasn’t expecting the reaction,” he admits.
“But at the end of the day, this is the industry that we are in. I’ve been as open and honest as I can be about that situation. I also signed a contract when I was there, and there’s certain stuff you don’t talk about, and I’m very professional in that respect.”
“But I had a great time on that show until it wasn’t the best time. Then what I do is I go, well, if I’m not enjoying myself, I remove myself from the situation. I could have stayed there for two, three more years; that was an opportunity.”
In control: Brian opens up about his shock departure from 98FM – and why it was time to leave | Photo by Claire Boshell for Goss.ie
“And it’s a risk when you’re self-employed, and you walk away from an opportunity. But I don’t feel like I walked away from an opportunity. What I feel like I did was I paused where I was and the space that I was in, and then I knew Today FM was happening, and that was great.”
“And also, I was on this wheel of two years of continuously getting up in the morning at 6 am and getting home at 7.30/7.45 pm. I was on Ireland AM, I was on the Six O’Clock Show, I was on Salvage Squad, I was on 98FM. I was also doing the Housewives. There was a lot going on.”
“It was quite nice to have a bit of control. But listen, I’ve always said I’ve 100% not closed the door on radio. And the door, I would like to say, is very much still open for me at 98FM.”
Read Brian and Arthur’s full Goss Cover Star interview here.