Ireland AM celebrates 25 years of broadcasting today and Alan Hughes is the sole survivor of the show that first aired on 20 September 1999.
A lot has changed in the world since then. We’ve had a new millennium (and the Millennium Bug scare!) wars, terrorism, a pandemic and the financial crash of 2008.
And television has undergone some radical changes since then too.
The advent of cable channels such as HBO led to the arrival of streaming services and mobile phones have completely changed the news landscape – and how we consume news - but Alan Hughes is still smiling at breakfast time on the telly.
On day one the channel, now Virgin Media One, was called TV3, which was celebrating its first anniversary. Ireland AM was the first show of its kind in Ireland. It was originally on air from 7am to 9am and it was a three-hander.
"I still remember the first day vividly," Alan Hughes recalls, rolling back the years to 1999 as he began his stint on the show as the weather guy.
"It was just Mark Cagney, Amanda Byram and myself. It’s the first - and still the only - Irish breakfast show on TV, so there was a lot of focus on the show before and after that first morning.
"People were hoping to make it work, and everyone was thinking along the lines of giving it a year and seeing what happens. And we’re still going strong after a quarter of a century and getting bigger all the time. It's been some journey."
"I remember I was very nervous before the start, but it all worked out well. Still here!"
If there's one thing that can guarantee the demise of a TV show, it's when the powers that be start tinkering around with core principles. Soaps killing off the wrong characters and shows being moved around schedules.
Ireland AM, Hughes maintains, is basically the same as it ever was – and that’s a major contributor to its success and longevity.
"The thing is that we’ve stuck to the formula," insists the 60-year-old presenter. "As the saying goes: 'If it ain’t broke, don’t try to fix it.’ Naturally, over the years elements within the show have changed, but the basic formula remains the same.
"The mix of news, fashion and cooking just works. And if there’s a rolling news item, we’re first on it and we can follow it. Things have evolved, but if you look at any breakfast show across the world, the basics are the same: instant news, breaking news, and – especially for viewers in Ireland – a focus on the weather!"
We all know The Late Late Show is the longest-running live entertainment show in the world, but that show is truly unique, both in an Irish context as well as a global one. Most TV shows are doing well to last a couple of years.
Hughes sounds almost mortified when it’s pointed out that Ireland AM’s durability is such a rare thing in the telly world.
"It’s unbelievable when you think about it," he admits. "25 years for any TV show is remarkable. I think of people like Gay Byrne and other broadcasting legends. Not that I’d be comparing myself to anyone like that!
"It’s just a lovely achievement and I’m humbled to have been a part of it from the start. And I’m still enjoying it. It’s great fun and I’m really getting on with the new team."
Naturally, at a time when the show is acknowledging a landmark achievement such as this, there’s a tendency to reflect on the past. Hughes has a mental treasure chest of cherished times he’s stored over the last 25 years.
"I’ve lots of fantastic memories but the moments that have really stood out for me revolve around the likes of LauraLynn, when we were raising funds for the children’s hospice.
"We were hoping that we might raise around €10,000 and in the end, we raised 80,000 – it was amazing. We had families on, telling their stories and it really touched people.
"The generosity of Irish people is just incredible. It really struck me. My God! We’re making a difference! We’ve raised nearly a million over the years. As well as LauraLynn there are the likes of the Alzheimer Society and the Marie Keating Foundation.
"That’s genuine public service broadcasting and I’m very proud to have played a part in that. It’s kind of like the telethons that used to be on the television in the past.
"We’ve also helped new businesses by giving them exposure on the show. Getting the word out there on Ireland AM can really help someone who’s just started out and it’s great to be able to support them."
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