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Kathryn Thomas

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Kathryn Thomas
Thomas interviewed at RTÉ's winter season launch in 2015
Born (1979-01-20) 20 January 1979 (age 45)
Carlow, Ireland
NationalityIrish
EducationEnglish, Sociology and Information Studies
Alma materKing's Hospital School University College Dublin (UCD)
OccupationPresenter
EmployerRTÉ
AgentNoel Kelly[1]
Known forRapid, No Frontiers, Winning Streak, Operation Transformation, The Voice of Ireland
Children2

Kathryn Thomas (born 20 January 1979)[2] is an Irish television presenter.

Thomas won her first contract with RTÉ to co-present the children's television programme Rapid with Jason Sherlock in the 1990s. From there she went on to present No Frontiers, touring the world to promote various countries on RTÉ Television.

Early life

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Thomas attended the national school on the Green Road, Carlow and began her secondary school years in St Leo's College, Carlow. In her second year, she moved to The King's Hospital in Dublin as a boarder.[3][4] She studied arts (English, Sociology and Information Studies) at University College Dublin but left before finishing as she won a contract to present the children's television programme Rapid.[citation needed] She also took London Guildhall acting exams to Grade 8.[citation needed]

Career

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Television

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Thomas's break into television came when she co-presented Rapid, a youth sports show, with Dublin GAA star Jason Sherlock during the 1990s.[citation needed]

Thomas worked on the television series No Frontiers,[5] which included assignment stories about boomeranging in Australia, bungee jumping in New Zealand, child trafficking in Namibia, and American football.

In 2008, Thomas co-presented Winning Streak: Dream Ticket with Aidan Power. From 2009, she co-presented the show with Marty Whelan.[6] She left Winning Streak in December 2011.[7]

In 2011, she became the new presenter of Operation Transformation on RTÉ One.[8] In August 2011, it was announced that she would host The Voice of Ireland, the Irish version of The Voice.[9]

In 2023, it was announced that Thomas would co-host the annual Rose of Tralee festival alongside the festival's regular host Dáithí Ó Sé, marking the first time that a duo would host the event.[10]

Radio

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Thomas has stepped in for John Murray on RTÉ Radio 1 and also hosts an RTÉ Radio 1 quiz show.[citation needed]

Controversies

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Finger wagging incident

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In February 2012, Thomas stormed the stage during a performance by Alabama 3 at the 9th Irish Film & Television Awards, and wagged her finger at the rock band after they sang a song with the lyrics "fuck the police". She accused the band of inciting people to violence.[11]

Peugeot deal

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Thomas became a "brand ambassador" for Peugeot in June 2023,[12] a deal arranged by her agent, Noel Kelly of NK Management. This began with her promotion of the Peugeot 308. The deal proved controversial as it coincided with revelations about Ryan Tubridy's extra wages.[1] The deal was publicised further in July 2023 as those revelations continued.[13]

Commercial ventures

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In April 2015 Thomas set up Pure Results Bootcamp, a seven-day diet and exercise camp operating out of Inish Beg Island, a private Island Estate in County Cork. The camp programme includes a pre-camp consultation with a nutritionist to establish the participants' goals, a shared room in a courtyard cottage, a two-week post-camp fitness and diet programme and two weekly weigh-ins with a member of the Pure Results Bootcamp team.[14] On 11 April 2023, report published by The Nenagh Guardian claimed that the reporter took part in a nationwide campaign this month to plant a million trees, to combat climate change. The Tipperary schools joined over 300 schools from across Ireland to take part in development charity Self Help Africa's 'One Million Trees' campaign – planting trees in their local school grounds while supporting a wider initiative to plant trees in Africa. The event highlighted the impact of climate change that prevails over the underdeveloped communities in African continent. The program aimed to plant one million trees in Africa and 100,000 native trees in Ireland each year in order to uplift suffered arenas.[15]

Personal life

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Thomas, had a five-year relationship with Garda Enda Waters, which ended in July 2012.[16] She has been dating businessman Padraig McLoughlin since mid-2013.[17]

In 2017, Thomas announced through Instagram that she and McLoughlin were expecting their first child together.[18] In March 2018, Thomas had her first daughter, Ellie McLoughlin.[19] She announced via Instagram in June 2021 that she and McLoughlin were expecting their second child.[20] She lives in Inchicore.[21]

Thomas revealed in 2015 that a series of shooting stars inked on the inside of her lower left arm were not tattoos but were in fact transfers, as she was scared to get a real tattoo.[22]

Awards

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In 2005, Thomas won the Travel Extra Irish Travel Writer of the Year.[citation needed]

In 2008, she won the Sony Bravia TV Personality of the Year at the Irish Film and Television Awards (IFTAs) in Dublin, as well as Best Female Presenter at the TV Now Awards.[citation needed]

In February 2012, she came third in a poll to find Ireland's most desirable Valentines.[23]

References

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  1. ^ a b Coyne, Ellen (1 July 2023). "Deals on wheels: The RTÉ stars driving cars worth up to €70,000 thanks to lucrative brand tie-ups". Irish Independent. Retrieved 3 July 2023.
  2. ^ Gallagher, Katie (7 January 2019). "Operation Transformation star Kathryn Thomas postponing 40th birthday celebrations until show is over". Irish Mirror.
  3. ^ "King's Hospital Past Pupils Union Newsletter featuring Thomas" (PDF). King's Hospital.[permanent dead link‍]
  4. ^ Butler, Laura (8 March 2012). "RTÉ's golden girl Kathy talks sex, booze and why she doesn't believe in God". Evening Herald. Independent News & Media. Retrieved 8 March 2012.
  5. ^ "Frontier Films"
  6. ^ Dillon, Fiona (27 February 2010). "I'd love a chat show -- Kathryn". Evening Herald. Independent News & Media. Retrieved 27 February 2010.
  7. ^ "Marty's sadness as Kathryn quits". Evening Herald. Independent News & Media. 10 November 2011. Retrieved 10 November 2011.
  8. ^ "Kathryn Thomas". RTÉ Ten. 10 January 2011. Retrieved 10 January 2011.
  9. ^ Sweeney, Ken (26 August 2011). "Kathryn beats off Grainne Seoige to becomes [sic] The Voice presenter". Irish Independent. Independent News & Media. Retrieved 26 August 2011.
  10. ^ "Dáithí Ó Sé and Kathryn Thomas team up to host this year's Rose of Tralee". RTE Newsl. 27 July 2023. Retrieved 29 August 2023.
  11. ^ Finn, Melanie (18 February 2012). "How the 'Irish Oscars' lost their Glamour and gloss and descended into chaos". Evening Herald. Independent News & Media. Retrieved 18 February 2012.
  12. ^ "Peugeot announces Kathryn Thomas as Brand Ambassador". 16 June 2023.
  13. ^ "Peugeot Ireland partners up with popular TV and radio broadcaster Kathryn Thomas". Athlone Advertiser. 6 July 2023. Retrieved 8 July 2023.
  14. ^ "Operation Transformation host Kathryn Thomas set to launch her own seven-day bootcamps". evoke.ie. 2 March 2015.
  15. ^ "Tipperary schools take part in planting campaign". 11 April 2023.
  16. ^ "Kathryn Thomas and Garda boyfriend split after five years". Irish Independent. 3 December 2012.
  17. ^ "Kathyrn Thomas reveals how she fell for new man while ordering a pint". Irish Independent. 8 January 2014. Retrieved 9 January 2014.
  18. ^ Mulvaney, Amy (11 November 2017). "RTE star Kathryn Thomas pregnant with her first child". evoke.ie.
  19. ^ "Kathryn Thomas shares her baby joy". RTÉ News. 26 March 2018.
  20. ^ O'Loughlin, Ciara (19 June 2021). "'We feel incredibly grateful to share this news'- Kathryn Thomas is pregnant with her second child". Irish Independent. Retrieved 24 September 2021.
  21. ^ Dwyer, Liz (24 May 2018). "Kathryn Thomas presents a new crib for baby". The Irish Times. Retrieved 18 October 2022.
  22. ^ "I was 'too chicken' for a real tattoo, says Kathryn Thomas who admits new ink is kiddie transfer". evoke.ie. 5 January 2015.
  23. ^ "Bressie, Georgia top Valentine's Poll". RTÉ Ten. 11 February 2012. Retrieved 11 February 2012.
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