Dublin radio star Dave Fanning has broken his silence after his shock exit from 2FM, saying that he asked bosses if he could leave the station two years ago - telling them he was "too old" to work there.
Last week, Fanning announced that he was leaving 2FM after 44 years and would host a new show on RTE Gold. The radio presenter spoke on Liz and Noel’s Chernobyl Lunch on Friday, clarifying that it was his decision to leave and he had asked bosses if he could go two years ago.
He said: "I didn't really move. I just left 2FM for at least a while and I want to do other things and there's too much work in the other things so I've been working twice as hard as I have been, whether it works or not I don't know.
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"I've a ten-part series about the history of Irish rock with Gold. I have a ten-part series about Ireland's fabulous 50s, looking back at the fab '50s. I've 16 podcasts to do by the end of April and I've got other things as well.
"So I've got all the bank holidays to do for 2FM and I've got a programme to do for Gold. So there is a lot more work involved," added Fanning.
However, he insisted that he isn't hanging up his microphone and that he's not retiring. He said: "I haven't retired and I'm still doing something with 2FM. I don't know why it looked like that.
"I just felt that I had to go because I am too old for 2FM. Well it was my decision because I told them two years ago that I wanted to go but they made me wait on for a while..
"Like I'm too old for 2FM as 2FM is at the moment," he said. When about RTE's new weekend schedule line up with the likes of Blathnaid Treacy, Roz Purcell and Emma Power hosting new radio shows, Dave said: "It's not my thing".
He said: "Good luck to them, it is not for me. It wouldn't be my cup of tea at all. It never was. Most of the stuff on 2FM.. it's just not my thing.
"It's like people ask me about Ed Sheeran, people ask me about certain things that I am supposed to like. I just go 'not for me'.
"Life is too short to be listening to things I don't want to be listening to." Dave also revealed he's received 180 messages wishing him well, including a special message from U2 frontman Bono.
But he admitted he found it a bit "embarrassing". "It was amazing. The stuff that was on Whatsapp. It was very nice, I can't answer them all."
He declined to reveal what Bono wrote in his message but said he has an interview with The Edge airing on RTE Gold on St Patrick's Day.
"I did. I have an interview with The Edge coming up on St Patrick's Day and it's a two hour special with Noel Gallagher," he added.
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