Rachel set to present 'The Friday Show' with Eamonn Holmes

We've known about this for some time but didn't want to publish until the news was officially confirmed.

Following Rachel's appearance on the judging panel of 'Find me the Funny', she is set to co-present a major weekly show on BBC Northern Ireland. 'The Friday Show' will be a chat and entertainment show, presented by Rachel and Eamonn Holmes.

Below is the official announcement as published in today's 'Sunday Life' newspaper.

They describe the show as a 'mixture of music, chat and craic.' Hopefully Rachel will be given a chance to show off THAT voice of hers as well as a few others getting a look-in.

Either way this will be a great opportunity to see Rachel in a major presenting role and we'll do our best to feature each show in it's entirety every week. We're looking forward to this new chapter in Rachel's career and wish her all the very best for the pilot show, which will be recorded this Saturday 10th October.

Thanks to Helen who was quick off the mark with a link for audience tickets to the shows. Click below:

FRIDAY NIGHT LIVE TICKETS

The photo above is the one used today by the Sunday Life. It was of course taken last January at the 'Spirit of Northern Ireland' awards at Belfast's Ramada Hotel.

SUNDAY LIFE ARTICLE

Eamonn to host entertainment TV series with Rachel Tucker

By John McGurk
Sunday, 4 October 2009

Top TV personality Eamonn Holmes is set to make a triumphant return to local screens — co-hosting a new prime-time show from Belfast. Holmes will link up with I’d Do Anything star Rachel Tucker for The Friday Night show which kicks off on BBC1 NI October 23.

The one-hour show — a mixture of music, chat and craic — marks BBC Northern Ireland’s return to the Friday night chat and entertainment showformat.

Back in the Nineties, the Beeb in Belfast made a number of top-rated weekend chat oriented series, fronted by Patrick Kielty, Gerry Anderson and John Daly.

Sunday Life understands that a pilot show for the new series, fronted by Eamonn and Rachel, will be made later this week.

There had been speculation that former UTV sofa king, Gerry Kelly, was the man set to make a sensational Friday night chat show comeback — on the BBC.

But, speaking to Sunday Life, genial Gerry, who has been presenting the Gerry Kelly show on BBC Radio Ulster since last April, dismissed the rumours.

“I haven’t spoken to the BBC about television or anything like that.

“I did speak to an independent production company earlier this year. But I didn’t take up their offer.

“I think people speculate that because I have gone to the Beeb, then something is going to happen.

“I am really enjoying the Saturday show. I genuinely enjoy it and I look forward to each Saturday,” he said.

Eamonn, who turns 50 in December, is one of the UK’s most popular telly personalities.

He is due to get hitched to long-time partner Ruth Langsford in 2010.

He fronted GMTV for 13 years and has presented hit TV shows, such as The National Lottery Jet Set and Sudo-Q.

Last summer, he returned to local screens on BBC Northern Ireland’s Tall Ships coverage.

He currently presents Sky News’ Sunrise With Eamonn Holmes and co-hosts ITV’s This Morning programme every Friday, with his fiancee, Ruth.