RTE have confirmed The 2 Johnnies will return to 2fm, following an investigation by bosses into ‘a social media breach’ that saw them accused of ‘sexist content’.
The station’s newest presenters known to fans as Johnny Smacks and Johnny B, found themselves in the centre of controversy last week after they were accused of airing ‘sexist and insulting comments’ in their Spotify podcast, and in clips used on their social media platforms to promote their new 2fm radio show.
The pair apologised for any upset caused, but after huge public backlash, RTE announced the duo would remain off air pending ‘a review of the matter’ - just three days after kicking off their brand new 2FM show ‘Drive it with The 2 Johnnies’.
In a statement released on Tuesday evening, RTÉ said they have concluded their investigation after engaging ‘intensively’ with The 2 Johnnies in respect of the breaches of and confirmed that the comedy duo, real names John O'Brien and John McMahon, will return to air next Monday.
An RTE spokesperson said: “Since last week, RTÉ has engaged intensively with The 2 Johnnies in respect of the breaches of our social media guidelines, the standards expected with RTÉ content and the challenges of moving from an unregulated space into one where regulations apply.”
In a statement provided by RTE, Dan Healy, Head of RTÉ 2fm went on: "We reviewed the content and found that our social media guidelines were breached.
“We took this very seriously. So seriously that The 2 Johnnies were taken off air. They have apologised and we've been talking since about where we go from here.
“They are aware of the standards we expect and are absolutely committed to upholding them. We are looking forward to working with The 2 Johnnies as we work together to bring a fresh approach to drivetime.
“That's the job they were taken on to do and the show we want to offer the audience. We're going to continue working on this in advance of the show returning to air on Monday 14 March".
Commenting on the news, The 2 Johnnies said: "On the back of what was a very intense week, and having issued an apology and clarification of the events which occurred, we are extremely excited about returning to our daily drivetime show.
“We had a great welcome at 2fm last week and are eager to work with Dan and the 2fm family again, acknowledging the lessons we’ve learned and committing to put these into action.
“Coming from a different environment it is a privilege to get the chance to have a national conversation five days a week, and we appreciate that with this comes great responsibility and a lot is now expected of us.
“We are determined to create a successful radio show and work with everyone in 2fm to show the nation the best of us. We would like to thank 2fm for working through this with us".
Announcing the news to fans, they added: "Thank you for yer support everyone."
Drive It with The 2 Johnnies will return to air on Monday 14 March.
