9 March – ITV magazine programme This Morning returns to Virgin Media One five months after an overhaul of the daytime schedule removed it from the channel.[15]
13 March – Following the introduction of restrictions on social gatherings because of the COVID-19 pandemic, RTÉ One airs the first edition of The Late Late Show to go ahead without a studio audience.[16][17]
16 March – Claire Byrne presents her show, Claire Byrne Live, from her garden shed after placing herself into voluntary self-isolation because she was showing signs of a cold.[19]
17 March – TaoiseachLeo Varadkar makes a special broadcast to the nation called A Ministerial Broadcast by An Taoiseach Leo Varadkar, TD, in which he says the COVID-19 emergency could go on for months into the summer.[20]
18 March – In response to COVID-19 restrictions on social gatherings, RTÉ announces that its rolling news channel, RTÉ News Now, will air a daily Mass service from the Cathedral of St Eunan and St Columba in Letterkenny, each weekday at 10.30am until at least 29 March when restrictions are reviewed. The service will be followed each day by a short religions message from representatives of other faiths and Christian denominations in Ireland.[21]
27 March – Miriam O'Callaghan presents The Late Late Show after Ryan Tubridy is forced to self-isolate due to a "persistent couth". It is the first time a woman has presented an entire edition of the show.[22] Her guests include Simon Harris, Brendan O'Carroll, Jennifer Gibney, Hozier and Brian O'Driscoll. RTÉ subsequently confirms the show was watched by an average viewership of 863,000, a 61% audience share.[23]
It is confirmed that Ryan Tubridy has tested positive for coronavirus.[23]
April
3 April – Miriam O'Callaghan presents The Late Late Show for a second week as Ryan Tubridy continues to self-isolate with coronavirus.[26]
5 April – Virgin Media One's The 6 O'Clock Show urges viewers to send in video messages for their grandparents, who may not have smart devices, which will then be broadcast on the show in order to help them stay connected with their relatives during the COVID lockdown.[27]
10 April – Ryan Tubridy returns to The Late Late Show following a two week absence because of COVID-19, and opens the show with an emotional monologue describing his experience with the virus.[28]
17 April – Irish funeral directors and Irish state broadcaster RTÉ launch a virtual memorial wall for victims of COVID-19, allowing relatives to post tributes. The wall will also be complemented by memorial segments broadcast on radio and television.[30]
24 May – A Sunday Times piece by Julieanne Corr notes the high number of repeats shown by both RTÉ and Virgin Media Television since the start of the pandemic.[37]
June
5 June – The RTÉ Audience Research survey for the period 2 March–17 May indicates that almost four million people, roughly 90% of the TV viewing population, tuned in to the broadcaster as the COVID-19 pandemic unfolded, with news programmes such as the Six One News and Nine O'Clock News, having a particularly strong audience.[38]
Virgin Media Television broadcasts a number of its programmes live from Limerick as part of its #BackingBusiness campaign to encourage people to support Irish businesses which have been affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.[44]
14 August – Coco Television confirms that First Dates Ireland will return for a new series in 2021, but with changes to protect participants from the risk of COVID-19 that will see any physical contact between contestants banned for the time being.[46]
23 August – The Sunday Independent reports that RTÉ has told the Irish Government it forecasts a deficit of €36m for 2020 as a result of the fallout from the COVID-19 pandemic.[47]
24 August – Production begins on the next series of Ireland's Fittest Family despite new restrictions on outdoor gatherings.[48]
RTÉ rebrands its rolling news channel RTÉ News Now to RTÉ News channel with minor changes to its programming line-up.[51]
September
4 September – The Late Late Show returns after its summer break, with Mícheál Ó Muircheartaigh appearing as one of its guests.[52]
October
12 October – With Ireland in Level 3 COVID restrictions and winter approaching, an edition of Claire Byrne Live tells viewers how to dress for outdoor dining with the help of polar explorer Pat Falvey.[53]
21 October – Gogglebox Ireland announces major changes to its cast as Ireland re-enters Level 5 COVID restrictions, which prohibit indoor gatherings and visitors to homes and gardens.[54]
November
20 November – RTÉ's top news presenters apologise after being present at a gathering in Montrose where social distancing was not fully observed and presenters posed for photographs.[55]
24 November – The winner of the 2020 News2day Christmas Art competition is announced.[56]
27 November – The Late Late Toy Show is broadcast on RTÉ One, and becomes the most watched programme on Irish television in 2020.[57][58]
December
7 December – An edition of Claire Byrne Live includes a segment advising people how to have a safe Christmas dinner if they are inviting guests, but draws criticism from some viewers for comparing COVID-19 to cigarette smoke and urging people to open their doors and windows when the outside temperature is very low.[59]
11 December – The annual The Late Late Show Country Music Special returns, with a guest appearance by Dolly Parton.[60]
12 December – Virgin Media One broadcasts Ireland Under Lockdown: COVID-19 Stories, a programme presented by Zara King which takes a look back at how Ireland coped with the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.[61]
18 December – The year's final edition of The Late Late Show features musicians participating in the annual Grafton Street busk, but with the event moved indoors from its usual location to the studio because of COVID-19 regulations. The event raises funds for the Simon Community homeless charity.[62]
29 December – Christmas viewing figures indicate the Christmas Eve edition of the Six One News, during which Father Christmas is shown leaving the North Pole for Ireland, was the most watched programme over the holiday period, with an average audience of 583,200. It is the first time in a decade that Mrs Brown's Boys fails to secure the number one position, with the Christmas Day edition coming second, with 486,400 viewers.[66]
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