Tubs: Life is littered with landmines after losing a loved one..
Ryan opens up about the death of his father as podcast begins
It’s like someone has flicked the globe & everything’s changed
RYAN TUBRIDY ON THE PAIN OF LOSING HIS DAD
RYAN Tubridy opens up about his father’s death in the first episode of his new podcast, saying his daily life was “littered with landmines” when he was grieving.
The former RTE star, 50, spoke to comedian and author David Walliams for the pilot episode of The Bookshelf, which can be streamed from today.
Walliams, who rose to fame on Little Britain and has gone on to write 40 children’s books, told the presenter that being a father to his 10-year-old son “makes life brilliant”.
However, he said being a dad has also made him reflect on his relationship with his father, and how difficult he found his death in 2007.
The author, 52, said when his father died after battling lung cancer 17 years ago, he found it strange that life just goes on as normal after losing a loved one.
Speaking about his father’s death in 2013, Tubridy said:
“Looking out of the back of the funeral car of my own dad and thinking that very same thing, going
‘Don’t you know this great guy is gone?
How can you be going in to buy bread? That’s so mundane.’ It’s most unusual, you forget your universe is just that.”
The former Late Late Show presenter said there were many times after his father’s death he had to try and “hold it together” after being hit with grief.
He told Walliams: “It’s like someone flicked the globe and everything’s changed.
“And actually your landscape in your daily life is littered with landmines, with emotional tripwires and you suddenly find [you’re like], ‘Hold it together, hold it together’ because no one else cares.
“And certainly doesn’t understand why you’re suddenly having a moment because you saw a packet of Silk Cut Purple because it reminds you of your father.
“It’s bizarre. But that informs you as a person, a writer, a broadcaster, whatever it might be, people listening in, and should help you with empathy and nourish who you are as a human being.”
The podcast series will see Tubridy ask guests the same questions, including their favourite childhood novel, the book that made them cry, and the publication that changed their life. Speaking about the book that made him cry, The Unconsoled by Kazuo Ishiguro, Walliams said he was lucky enough to meet his literary hero at a charity dinner party.
The TV funnyman said: “I was quoting bits to him and he can see that I was a real fan, and very kindly he signed some books for me.
“I love his work and I love that he’s been so kind to me as well.”
Tubridy, who was embroiled in the RTE payments scandal last summer, said it has always been a “passion project” of his to launch a book podcast.
Speaking about its launch, Tubridy said: “Those times in life when the least expected things happen. Such events happened to me last summer.
“Despite it being an exceptionally difficult time, it made me reassess and explore new opportunities to realise some dreams I’ve long held in my heart.
“One was to work on the radio in the UK which I am currently doing and loving.
“The other was to bring The Bookshelf with Ryan Tubridy to fruition which is where we are today.”