Emma O'Driscoll

Last updated

Emma O'Driscoll
Born (1982-03-23) 23 March 1982 (age 41)
Limerick, Ireland
NationalityIrish
OccupationTelevision presenter
Known forMembership of Six,
SpouseLiam Cronin
Website Emma O'Driscoll
IMDb profile
TV.com

Emma Louise O'Driscoll [1] (born 23 March 1982 in Limerick, Ireland [2] ) is a former Irish pop star, turned children's television presenter and reality television personality.

Contents

O'Driscoll rose to fame in the 2001–2002 RTÉ One television series Popstars , in which she was selected as a member of the band Six. After the band's swift demise, O'Driscoll replaced Mary Kingston as presenter of the morning show, The Disney Club. Among other countless television appearances since then, she finished runner-up in the RTÉ reality television shows, Charity 252 . She has also appeared on a stamp.

Early life

O'Driscoll was born in Limerick and raised there alongside her two sisters, Julie and Georgina and her brother, Stephen. She developed an early interest in song and dance. She has received a Blue Peter Badge and has won hip hop and freestyling championship titles in Ireland and Europe. Whilst attending the Presentation Secondary School in Sexton Street, Limerick, she began her initial move to enter Popstars. She spent her spare time in the Dominican Choir and the Bunratty Castle Singers, learning her dance skills at Shape Dancing School and as a member of the Limerick dance troupe, High Voltage. She initially wished to be a primary school teacher before she discovered she had been chosen as a member of Six. Her interest in teaching led to her working as a Special Needs Assistant in Our Lady Queen of Peace National School. [3]

Career

Six membership

Her first show as a member of Six was at the ChildLine Concert in the Point Theatre, Dublin, where she performed in front of 8000 people. Six released two multi-platinum selling singles, both of which reached #1 in the Irish Singles Chart, and also had a top five album in Ireland. Their first single, "Whole Lot of Loving" is still the fastest-selling single in Irish musical history. [4] Six did an arena tour with Westlife in England, playing a total of sixty-six shows, and two nationwide tours of Ireland.

Television

O'Driscoll was one of seven celebrities who took part in the reality series, Charity 252, performed for the People in Need Telethon in May 2004. They were given a radio station to run 14 hours per day, with cameras watching their every move, and their progress was shown each night for a week on RTÉ Network 2. She initially turned down the offer of partaking in the reality television show. The series earned her a radio slot, co-hosting the breakfast show on Live 95FM. During the Christmas period, O'Driscoll played herself in the pantomime Snow White in the University Concert Hall in Limerick.

Her time in children's television has seen her present The Disney Club and Den Tots . She also made guest appearances on The Cafe and Dustin's Daily News . [5] [6]

In 2006, O'Driscoll featured in Celebrity Jigs 'n' Reels. [7]

In 2009, O'Driscoll participated in RTÉ's reality sports show Celebrity Bainisteoir . She bought her team to the semi-finals of the competition. [8]

In 2010, she appeared as a guest judge on The All Ireland Talent Show , with John Creedon for the South's regional auditions round.

Appearance on a stamp

Marking RTÉ's 50th anniversary in 2011, O'Driscoll appeared on a postage stamp, part of a set of three that also featured Gay Byrne and Anne Doyle. [9]

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Amanda Byram</span> Irish television presenter and former model

Amanda Byram is an Irish television presenter and former model, best known for co-presenting BBC One game show Total Wipeout with Richard Hammond, the Irish version of Dancing with the Stars on RTÉ1 and for hosting American television shows, The Swan and Paradise Hotel.

Brian Patrick Robert Dowling is an Irish television presenter. He rose to fame after winning the second series of reality series Big Brother, and went on to win Ultimate Big Brother in 2010. In 2007, he came third in Hell's Kitchen and in 2008, he was runner-up in the Irish reality television series Fáilte Towers. Dowling then guest-presented Live from Studio Five alongside Kate Walsh from 2010 until its cancellation in February 2011.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Suzanne Shaw</span> Musical artist

Suzanne Christine Crowshaw, known as Suzanne Shaw, is an English actress, singer and television personality, who rose to fame after winning the talent contest Popstars and subsequently being a member of the band Hear'Say.

Six were an Irish pop group who formed on the Irish version of the television programme Popstars in 2002. The programme aired on RTÉ One on Sunday nights in the autumn and winter of 2001–02. The band were signed to Simon Cowell under BMG Records UK and managed by Louis Walsh who also appeared as a judge on the show. Their first single, "There's a Whole Lot of Loving Going On", is currently the fastest and third-biggest selling single in Irish history.

Lucy Kennedy is an Irish television and radio presenter.

Celebrity Jigs n' Reels was an Irish reality entertainment television show broadcast on RTÉ One. It was produced by Mind The Gap Films.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bláthnaid Ní Chofaigh</span> Irish TV presenter and Gaeilgeoir (born 1970)

Bláthnaid Ní Chofaigh is an Irish TV presenter, she has presented Echo Island, The Afternoon Show and Charity ICA Bootcamp. She was a judge in The All Ireland Talent Show and participated in Celebrity Bainisteoir.

Glenda Gilson is an Irish former model and television presenter.

Mairead Ronan is an Irish television and radio presenter.

<i>Celebrity Bainisteoir</i> Irish TV series or programme

Celebrity Bainisteoir was a prime-time reality programme created by Fiona Looney and first broadcast in 2008 by RTÉ.

Aidan Power is an Irish television and radio presenter.

Sinéad Sheppard is an Irish politician and dancing tutor, and former member of the pop group Six. She rose to fame in the 2001–02 RTÉ One television series Popstars, in which she was selected as a member of the group. After the band's swift demise, Sheppard formed her own dance school and featured as an advisor to judge John Creedon in the 2009 talent show The All Ireland Talent Show. Since 2009 she has served as a member of local councils in Cork, representing Fine Gael.

Dáithí Mícheál Ó Sé is an Irish television presenter. He currently hosts RTÉ One's Today, alongside Maura Derrane. He is also the current host of the Rose of Tralee and hosts a chat show on TG4 every Thursday night, Seal Le Dáithí.

Katherine Lynch is an Irish television personality from County Leitrim. She has had several television series broadcast on RTÉ Two, with titles like Working Girls, Wonderwomen and Single Ladies. Lynch also participated as a bainisteoir in the second series of the RTÉ One's Celebrity Bainisteoir. She is said to have established a following among the Irish gay community.

Andrea Roche is an Irish entrepreneur. Andrea launched Irelands first blogger/ influencer management agency and represents most of Irelands well known Influencers.She had a successful career as one of Irish best known and most photographed models for a number of years before opening the Andrea Roche Modelling Agency. Andrea is a socialite, and is a regular television personality. She took part in the RTÉ One reality sports television series Celebrity Bainisteoir in 2009 and featured on a weekly basis on the TV3 show Ireland AM. Andrea retired full-time from modelling in 2008, she has been credited with discovering models such as Roz Purcell, Pippa O’Connor Ormond and Miss World 2003 Rosanna Davison.

The first season of Celebrity Bainisteoir was broadcast in Ireland on RTÉ One from 23 March 2008. It was won by the radio and television presenter Marty Whelan who replaced Fianna Fáil TD Mary O'Rourke as bainisteoir of Maryland, County Westmeath, during the series. Whelan's team beat solicitor Gerald Kean's Cork team, Mayfield, in the final at Parnell Park on 16 May that year.

The second season of Celebrity Bainisteoir was broadcast in Ireland on RTÉ One from 22 March 2009 until 10 May 2009.

Popstars is an Irish reality television series, broadcast and produced by RTÉ One, which ran from 2001 to 2002. The programme is based on the original New Zealand series and is part of the international Popstars franchise. The series follows members of the public auditioning to be part of a new band, with the age limit being 18 years old.

Brenda Donohue is an Irish radio and television presenter.

Brian Ormond is an Irish television presenter, businessman and reality TV star.

References

  1. "Emma O'Driscoll: Summary". TV.com. Retrieved 16 November 2008.
  2. "Biography for Emma O'Driscoll". IMDb. Retrieved 16 November 2008.
  3. "Emma O'Driscoll". RTÉ. Archived from the original on 5 May 2008. Retrieved 16 November 2008.
  4. "Emma O Driscoll". Stage Door Ireland. Archived from the original on 21 November 2008. Retrieved 16 November 2008.
  5. "The Cafe 30 March 2006". RTÉ. Retrieved 16 November 2008.
  6. "DDN 20 April 2007". RTÉ. Archived from the original on 2 May 2008. Retrieved 14 November 2008.
  7. "Celebs and wannabes put their best foot forward for new reality TV dance show". Irish Independent. 24 March 2006. Retrieved 24 March 2006.
  8. "Celebrity Bainisteoir". RTÉ. Archived from the original on 2 March 2015. Retrieved 23 August 2010.
  9. Lambe, Fintan (11 October 2011). "Anne stamp will mark RTÉ anniversary". New Ross Standard . Archived from the original on 5 September 2012. Retrieved 11 October 2011.