RY AND SHINE

A new dawn for Tubridy after social media fan message

- SANDRA MALLON, GRAINNE NI AODHA and CILLIAN SHERLOCK

• ...as RTE chief Bakhurst has no contact since axe

40k 40,103 licences bought in July versus 57,400 in same month last year

RTE'S Director General Kevin Bakhurst hasn't spoken to Ryan Tubridy since he sacked him last week, we can reveal.

It has emerged his last conversation with the former Late Late Show host was on Thursday when he called to tell him he would not be reinstated on his RTE Radio 1 show.

The station's boss said trust had broken down between the two parties after Mr Tubridy released a statement welcoming the second Grant Thorton report.

When asked if Bakhurst has spoken to Tubridy since he terminated contract negotiations, a spokesman for RTE said: "No."

It comes after Ryan, 50, teased "new beginnings" yesterday morning after remaining silent since Bakhurst released the statement announcing his shock departure.

Mr Tubridy posted a video of a coastline yesterday with the caption: "A new dawn, a new day, a new beginning. Stay tuned for more..."

Elsewhere, Education Minister Simon Harris has said he will not be asking his constituents to pay more money to RTE without a "clear reform plan" presented by the broadcaster.

The Minister for Further and Higher Education was speaking as new figures indicate there has been a further drop in TV licence fee revenues, putting pressure on the Government to make a decision on a long-term funding model for RTE.