RTE star Marty Whelan has said he feels lucky he never has to deal with anyone “roaring down my back on a daily basis”.
The Lyric FM host said he has no intention of hanging up the mic anytime soon.
The 67-year-old said: “It’s not a pain, it's a pleasure every day. And with radio, I’m up at half four for a radio show starting at 7am at Lyric.
READ MORE: Pat Kenny marks daughter's birthday at Dublin spot
“I’m lucky. I love what I do. I’m very lucky. I don’t have the burden of someone roaring down my back on a daily basis. I’m very lucky.”
Marty returns again this May as our Irish commentator at the Eurovision, where he says he is allowed to be himself at the song contest.
“That is why the Eurovision is a great bit of fun and I’m allowed to be me. I get no grief. They say, ‘off you go, be yourself.’”
In 2021, Marty previously told how he couldn’t afford to retire.
He said: “I can’t afford to retire, I haven’t a penny to my name. I don’t want to stop, and from a financial point of view, I’d rather keep going.
“The bottom line here is it’s for your head – and my head tells me I need to keep going.”
While other high-profile names with staff jobs have been legally obliged to retire at the milestone age, he explained: “I’m a contract player so I’m not going anywhere.”
He said: “I will be like other people before me who went through the 65-year-old age barrier because they were on contracts as well.
"I have never had a full-time job, I have just had a contract every year or two during my entire career.
“With Winning Streak, for example, I am not getting paid for it,” he added.
Speaking to the Sunday Independent at the time, Marty said: “We’ve all been affected by that crash. Everyone who’s been working for a long time will find they are affected by it. It’s inevitable.”
Discussing his pension, he went on: “The original provision that people would have presumed would have been there, may not be there.
“Or if it is, it’s not as magnificent as you thought it was going to be.
“But that’s happened to everybody.”
Asked if the loss was as a result of investing in shares or property, he joked: “I don’t have any houses or apartments in Bulgaria.
“I just went for the pension and did the best I could. We put a lot of time and money and effort into building our own house some years ago and that’s also a consideration.”
READ NEXT:
First picture of man killed in Kilkenny stabbing as neighbours of quiet estate express shock
Security guard forced to eat dog faeces during Roscommon eviction clashes
Irish family's 'worst fears confirmed' as boy's neck pain turns out to be cancer
Get breaking news to your inbox by signing up to our newsletter
