Limerick returns to the spotlight as RTÉ brings The Traitors Companion Show to the city

LIMERICK is set to play a starring role in Irish television as RTÉ brings a non-drama production back to the city for the first time in years. 

The national broadcaster has confirmed that The Traitors Ireland: Uncloaked, the live companion show to its hit reality series, will be filmed in Limerick, signalling a significant return of RTÉ investment to the Mid-West.

This marks a significant moment for Limerick as it becomes the hub for a major RTÉ production for the first time since the controversial proposed downsizing of the national broadcaster’s operations in the Mid-West region.

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In 2019, RTÉ faced fierce criticism for its proposal to cease production in its Limerick studio and transfer the operations of Lyric FM headquarters to Cork and Dublin as part of a wider cost-cutting plan. 

RTÉ’s cost-cutting plan, which aimed to save €60 million and cut 200 jobs across the board between 2020 and 2023, sparked widespread backlash. The proposal in relation to the Limerick studio drew strong criticism from local Limerick councillors, TDs, and then-mayor Michael Sheahan, who urged the broadcaster to urgently rethink the relocation of the Limerick broadcast. 

In the end the plan to relocate Lyric FM was shelved.

RTÉ has maintained a scaled-down studio in the city for regional news coverage. The decision to film Uncloaked in Limerick is seen as a very welcome project in the local studio following the Lyric FM controversy.

The live companion show, hosted by Kevin McGahern, promises an insider look at the series as he is joined by celebrity guests from the worlds of comedy, music, sport, and entertainment.

With behind-the-scenes access to Slane Castle where the main show is filmed, in-depth episode breakdowns, and dramatic interviews with banished and "murdered" contestants, Uncloaked is set to become a must-watch for fans across Ireland.