TV3′S NEWS ANCHOR Alan Cantwell has announced that he is to leave the station.

He was the principal anchor of TV3′s flagship News at 5.30 / The 5.30 show for 14 years, but now intends to leave the channel at the end of the year.

Cantwell said:

I have had the most fulfilling 14 years at TV3, but I feel the time is right for me to move on and engage in other broadcasting and business projects. I would like to thank the TV3 audience which has been very loyal to me over the years and my colleagues and many friends.

TV3 Director of News Andrew Hanlon said: “Alan has made an enormous contribution to TV3 over his 14 years with the channel and has been an integral part of the TV3 news operation having played a key role in the launch of the news service in 1998. I would like to thank him for his loyalty and hard work during that time. He will be missed by viewers and colleagues alike.”

Here is Alan with his fellow news presenter Grainne Seoige and the then TV3 director of programming, Michael Murphy, back in 1998.

(Leon Farrell/Photocall Ireland)

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