The 50-year-old broadcaster, who formerly hosted RTÉ's popular The Late Late Show for a long time, debuted his new mid-morning programme on Virgin Media Radio in the UK on Monday.

After weeks of controversy over disclosures that the company had deliberately underreported payments to him, Tubridy departed RTÉ in the summer.

“Well, good morning,” he said as he kicked off his first performance in the UK. We are broadcasting live from the top of the tower, with a view of the gorgeous, gloomy, and rainy London skyline and beyond.

“Thoughts, ideas, suggestions, or anything that might be troubling your mind,” he urged the audience, adding, “We have so much to do, so much to say, and we will do it all after this.”

The first song he played was Pride (In the Name of Love) by Irish megastars U2.

He called presenting RTÉ's Late Late Show “the most lovely job in the world,” but he added that he is “having a great time so far” at his new position in London.

Following the reading of several well-wishes from the audience, he continued, saying he “cannot wait to get stuck in to 2024.”

Russell Crowe, star of Gladiator, will be interviewed on his debut programme. He disclosed that he became acquainted with Crowe two summers ago while the actor was in Ireland filming the horror movie The Pope's Exorcist.

In addition to airing on Virgin Radio, Tubridy's mid-morning show will also concurrently air on Dublin's Q102.