TV presenter Daithí O’Se has spoken candidly about hitting a major milestone birthday, the secret to his youthful appearance, and the continued success of his long-running daytime show, as he prepares to turn 50 this September.
The Kerry native, best known as co-host of ‘Today with Maura and Daithi’ on RTE, has become one of the most familiar faces on Irish television over the past decade and a half.
Speaking in a relaxed, reflective mood, he opened up about life on and off-screen, his health routine, and what the big five-oh really means to him.
Picture: Brian McEvoy
When the subject of his appearance came up, Daithí was in good humour. Admitting he had undergone a hair restoration procedure, he was quick to bat away suggestions of anything further. ‘I got a hair restoration, right, but no Botox. I do not need it,’ he laughed.
Those around him were quick to note that he seemed to have gone backward in age rather than forward, a compliment he accepted graciously if not entirely convincingly.
As for his fitness regime, Daithí says he tries to get to the gym three or four times a week, though he is refreshingly honest about what that actually involves. ‘I go there more for the social, kind of,’ he admitted.
The sauna is a particular favourite, and he confessed to watching what he described as ‘crazy people’ doing cold water therapy while he sits comfortably in the heat. ‘I see them doing it, and I see the benefit, but no, not for me,’ he said with a grin.
The presenter is currently enjoying a quieter pace of life away from the cameras. Family is clearly a priority, and while he is not making any grand plans for his 50th birthday, he would like to mark the occasion in his own low-key way.
‘I do not really know how I feel about it, to be honest,’ he said. ‘I would like to get a few people together at some stage, have a few pints and stuff like that, but nothing too over the top.’
The milestone has, however, prompted some genuine reflection. ‘When my dad was 50, I was probably around 16,’ he recalled. ‘There was no cake for him, no card, nothing. I actually do not think we even said happy birthday. I felt really bad about it going back.’ It is the kind of honest, warm admission that has made Daithí such a popular presence with Irish audiences over the years.
On the professional front, things could hardly be going better. ‘Today with Maura and Daithí’ is finishing up its 14th season and heading into its 15th, a run that Daithí describes as something he never takes for granted. ‘We have been very, very lucky,’ he said. ‘When COVID came, we decided to just shake things up a small bit. We stayed away from all the serious stories and tried to keep it as a creative place where people could just get away from everything and have a bit of fun and a bit of a laugh.’
He also credits his co-host, Maura Derrane, as a central reason the show continues to resonate with viewers. The two now split the presenting duties across the week, with Daithi fronting Monday and Tuesday and Maura taking Wednesday through Friday. ‘It has worked out very, very well,’ he said simply.
When asked whether he still feels nervous about the show being renewed each year, he smiled and suggested that particular worry has eased considerably over time, with the show’s track record speaking for itself.
Turning to the Rose of Tralee, a competition Daithí has been closely associated with for many years, he was passionate in defending both the event and those who take part in it.
Recent criticism aimed at the Dublin Rose online had clearly bothered him. ‘I am really shocked by it, to be honest,’ he said. ‘You do not even know the person. You are judging someone on a picture and from what you think you know about them.’
He expressed full confidence that public opinion would shift once she had the chance to speak for herself. ‘When she comes out on stage, people will realise what the Rose of Tralee is really all about. The real people of Ireland will see her, appreciate her, and recognise all of her achievements.’
As for what the next chapter looks like, Daithí O’Se seems in no rush to slow down. With a landmark birthday on the horizon, a hit show entering its 15th year, and a life he clearly loves between the west of Ireland and the RTE studios, things appear to be going very well indeed for the man from Kerry who, by all accounts, has not aged a day.
