Today, September 20, marks the 25 years of Virgin Media’s Ireland AM, with Alan Hughes having been an integral part since the beginning. Reflecting on his involvement, the presenter commended the show for never asking him to conceal his identity.

“That was a real chance for Ireland AM 25 years ago to say, ‘let’s keep the gay thing quiet or down’,” he said. “They would’ve done it in other places, like ‘let’s not mention’. Like 25 years ago if you were in a boy band, there was no way you would be mentioning you were gay.

“So in that respect it was really nice and they allowed me to be me and the response I’ve got from viewers over the years has been amazing. It’s been brilliant,” he continued.

Speaking about the show’s success, he shared: “I suppose people didn’t know was it going to last a week, was it going to last a year.. and here we are 25 years later.

“It’s great, it’s brilliant. It’s a testament to the teams over the years and the way they have done it. Even with the variety of hosts we’ve had over the years, I’ve been the one constant,” he laughed. “I’m still enjoying it.”

It’s our birthday! 🥳

Today marks Ireland AM’s 25th birthday and we are celebrating in style!

Elaine, Martin, Muireann, Tommy, Alan and Deric we’ll be reminiscing on some of the greatest moments of the last 25 years ✨

Tune in from 7am and celebrate with us🎂#IrelandAM pic.twitter.com/IlOGdLiFvY

— Ireland AM (@IrelandAMVMTV) September 20, 2024

Alan Hughes was joined on air this morning by fellow presenters Tommy Bowe, Muireann O’Connell, Mark King and Elaine Crowley as they celebrated 25 years of Ireland AM. The show kicked off with a breakdown of the news headlines of the day, followed by a pop culture throwback. 

The milestone episode also featured a star-studded lineup, including actor Patt Short who was the series’ first-ever guest. Comedian Mario Rosenstock also made an appearance, as did This Morning’s Dermot O’Leary and Alison Hammon. Seamus O’Reilly, aka ‘The Man With Ten Siblings’, also joined the show, reuniting with Tommy Bowe to relive their viral moment.

“Celebrating 25 years of Ireland AM is a true testament to the show’s enduring impact and its vital role in Irish broadcasting,” said Director of Programming Anothy Nilan.

“As one of the cornerstones of public service television, Ireland AM has been committed to showcasing diverse voices and stories and we are incredibly proud of the contribution it has made to shaping and reflecting our viewers’ lives.”