2026 in Irish television

The following is a list of events relating to television in Ireland from 2026.

Events

January

• 1 January – RTÉ One's New Year's Eve celebrations included a special edition of The Late Late Show from 10.25pm presented by Patrick Kielty with performances from David Gray, Lyra, Garron Noone and Sharon Shannon, and a live countdown from Dublin Castle with a performance from Inhaler. Irish athlete Kate O'Connor, Olympic rower Fintan McCarthy, architect Dermot Bannon and cast members from The Traitors Ireland also appeared on the show.
• 5 January – Virgin Media One airs the Coronation Street/Emmerdale crossover episode Corriedale ahead of the launch of a new "Soap Power Hour" that will see Emmerdale airing at 8pm and Coronation Street at 8.30pm on weeknights.
• 6 January – Virgin Media One begins showing the sitcom Friends at 7.30pm on weeknights.
• 24 January – RTÉ and Virgin Media Television reveal their schedules for coverage of the 2026 Six Nations Championship.

February

• 4 February – Guinness and Virgin Media Television announce they are collaborating for a second year to provide audio description and sign language for viewers of the Six Nations Championship.
• 19 February – Former Coronation Street actress Beverley Callard make her debut in Irish soap Fair City.
• 20 February – The 22nd Irish Film & Television Awards took place at the Dublin Royal Convention Centre.

March

• 15 March – Katelyn Cummins and professional dancer Leonardo Lini win series 9 of Dancing with the Stars.

Debuts

• 1 February – These Sacred Vows on RTÉ 1.

Ongoing television programmes

1960s

• ' (1961–present)
• ' (1962–present)
• The Late Late Show (1962–present)

1970s

• The Late Late Toy Show (1975–present)
• The Sunday Game (1979–present)

1980s

• Fair City (1989–present)
• ' (1989–present)

1990s

• Would You Believe (1990s–present)
• Winning Streak (1990–present)
• Prime Time (1992–present)
• Nuacht RTÉ (1995–present)
• Nuacht TG4 (1996–present)
• Reeling In the Years (1999–present)
• Ros na Rún (1996–present)
• Virgin Media News (1998–present)
• Ireland AM (1999–present)
• Telly Bingo (1999–present)

2000s

• Nationwide (2000–present)
• Virgin Media News (2001–present) – now known as the 5.30
• Against the Head (2003–present)
• news2day (2003–present)
• Other Voices (2003–present)
• The Week in Politics (2006–present)
• At Your Service (2008–present)
• Two Tube (2009–present)

2010s

• Room to Improve (2007–present)
• Jack Taylor (2010–present)
• Mrs. Brown's Boys (2011–present)
• MasterChef Ireland (2011–present)
• Today (2012–present)
• The Works (2012–present)
• Second Captains Live (2013–present)
• Ireland's Fittest Family (2014–present)
• The Restaurant (2015–present)
• Red Rock (2015–present)
• First Dates (2016–present)
• Dancing with the Stars (2017–2020, 2022–present)
• The Tommy Tiernan Show (2017–present)

2020s

• The Style Counsellors (2020–present)
• The 2 Johnnies' Late Night Lock In (2023–present)

Deaths

• 20 March – Ben Keaton, 69, Irish actor (Emmerdale, Casualty, Father Ted).
• 22 March – Michael Lyster, 71, sports broadcaster (The Sunday Game). (death announced on this date)

References