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RTÉ star Lottie Ryan spoken to by bosses for filming Toyota car advert on Montrose campus
Promotion came a day after Tubridy payment scandalFilming took place near Fair City set without permission2FM presenter video made as stars’ deals come under scrutiny
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Lottie Ryan stars in Toyota promo in RTE car park
Paul Hyland and Fionnán Sheahan
Today at 02:30
RTÉ star Lottie Ryan filmed a promotional advert for a car company on the public service broadcaster’s campus, without any permission.
The video plugging a €50,000 car appeared the day after the scandal of Ryan Tubridy’s payments from a commercial deal with another car maker was revealed.
In the latest embarrassment for RTÉ, the promotion has now been taken down and Ms Ryan has been spoken to by RTÉ management.
Deals between presenters and brands are coming under increased scrutiny. The deals are separate to RTÉ contracts, but the Dáil Public Accounts Committee was told such arrangements have to be approved by a line manager at the publicly-funded broadcaster.
The 2FM presenter is also represented by the same agent as Mr Tubridy, Noel Kelly Management. RTÉ has no commercial connection to Ms Ryan’s deal with Toyota, where she is a brand ambassador.
Yet Ms Ryan’s video was filmed on the RTÉ campus in recent weeks.
In the video she lavishes praise on the car as “the equivalent of a first-class plane seat on the road”.
The video is filmed at the back of the RTÉ Radio building and adjacent to the Fair City Carrigstown set. The RTÉ logo even appears on a sign during the video.
The video featuring Ms Ryan has been removed after RTÉ was contacted for comment by the Irish Independent.
“Permission was not given by RTÉ to Lottie Ryan for the filming or for the post in question. RTÉ has comprehensive social media guidelines that all employees – staff and contractors – are contractually obliged to adhere to. This matter has been addressed with her by management. The post has been taken down,” a spokesperson said.
Ms Ryan’s car deal is different to Mr Tubridy’s three-way arrangement for payments with RTÉ and a car dealer.
RTÉ presenters are bound by rules on journalism guidelines and permission has to be received for the use of the Montrose campus.
Use of RTÉ campus for any purposes is by permission on a case-by-case basis
“RTÉ’s journalism guidelines state: All requests for speaking engagements, chairing of meetings, etc, including of a charitable/not-for-profit nature, must be made in writing to the appropriate editorial manager for approval in advance. Use of RTÉ campus for any purposes is by permission on a case-by-case basis,” a spokesperson said.
It’s the second time in just over 12 months that a 2FM presenter has breached social media guidelines.
RTÉ suspended two 2FM presenters last year after they were called out for offensive material in a video promoting their radio programme.
Ms Ryan is a self-employed contractor with RTÉ. Last week, RTÉ bosses told the Dáil Public Accounts Committee that presenters who are contractors have their own commercial deals, but these also have to be approved by a line manager.
“That would be a contractor. It would be a contractor who does some work for RTÉ and who then would have a set of other commercial relationships themselves,” RTÉ acting director general Adrian Lynch said.
In her car video, Ms Ryan is described as a Toyota Long Mile brand ambassador who drives a Yaris Cross.
Her relationship with Toyota began in 2020 sometime after her win in that year’s Dancing with the Stars TV show.
The video in the RTÉ car park features a sign saying RTÉ electrical vehicle charging Only. She drove a new electric car for a week before giving her assessment.
“The experience of driving the BZ4X has been unlike anything I’ve ever done before because this to me is like the equivalent of a first-class plane seat on the road. It’s fully electric, the steering wheel heats up. We’ve got the charging point, it’s literally as simple as like connecting your joystick into your PlayStation,” she says.
“To see how far Toyota have come in such a short space of time with where the cars are levelling up to is very cool. It’s about what fits into your lifestyle and what works for you,” she adds.
Noel Kelly Management and Ms Ryan were contacted for comment.
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She used a half-empty car park in Montrose, shocking alright. If you’re basing your car purchases on Lottie’s recommendation you’re probably not fit to be let out on your own in any case.
What about the bangers though?
Parking Lottie
Permission no Gottie
Garett’s after having some sort of breakdown over this, absolutely mental stuff
No more of it
The problem here is that he wasn’t conscious of the fact that he had no juice at all in his revelations, and all he really wanted was a few watery aul likes on Twitter. All filler no thriller.
Navanman used to call him Gareth O Calorgas and he was spot on.
Isn’t Navanman the lad who went on to make Love/Hate?
It is indeed. Stewart Carolan. He had his moments as navanman though there was a fair share of dross there too
Stewart Carolan son in law of Paddy Kelly one of Anglos biggest debtors. The man who put together the syndicate that bought Sawgrass.
Oddly enough Ciaran’s sister Paula is the Director of Legal Affairs at RTE who was centrally involved in the Tubs deal.
Who’s the girl beside Tubs and Tiles?
Is it caroline morahan?
Nope, not her