Derek Davis facts for kids

Derek Davis (born 26 April 1948 – died 13 May 2015) was a well-known Irish broadcaster. He was famous for his work on television and radio. On TV, he co-hosted Live at 3, presented Davis at Large and Out of the Blue. He also won the TV show Celebrity Bainisteoir.

Early Life and Interests

Where Derek Grew Up

Derek Davis was born in Bangor, County Down, which is in Northern Ireland. His father was Protestant and his mother was Roman Catholic. She was from Bray, County Wicklow.

He went to a Catholic boarding school called St. MacNissis College. It was located in County Antrim. Derek said his early home life was "ecumenical." This means his family respected and mixed both religious traditions.

A Love for Boats

When Derek was a child, he developed a great love for boats. This passion later inspired one of his popular TV shows. The show was called Out of the Blue.

Derek Davis on Television

Starting in News

Derek Davis began his career as a news reporter. He worked for the American network ABC. He also worked for BBC Northern Ireland. After that, he spent 11 years in the newsroom at RTÉ.

In the early 1980s, he became a newsreader for The Six-o-clock News. People started to notice him. He became well-known for his funny or unexpected comments. These comments were often made about the news stories he was reading.

From Satire to Talk Shows

Derek also showed his acting skills. He impersonated a singer named Big Tom on a funny RTÉ show. It was called Hall's Pictorial Weekly. This led to him being offered a part in a show-band.

In 1975, he officially joined RTÉ. He first worked as a TV news reporter. Later, he became a newsreader for the nine o'clock news. In the mid-1980s, Derek hosted his own talk show. It was called Davis at Large. This show was broadcast live. One time, a guest bodybuilder caused a memorable moment on the show. He also had a summer show called Davis.

Hosting Popular Shows

In 1986, Derek started co-hosting a popular afternoon show. It was on RTÉ 1 and called Live at 3. He hosted this show with Thelma Mansfield for eleven years.

Derek also hosted the famous Rose of Tralee festival twice. He hosted it in 1995 and 1996. The first time, he stepped in at the last minute. The usual host, Gay Byrne, was unwell. Live at 3 finished in 1997.

Later TV Appearances

In the late 1990s, Derek returned to TV. He presented Out of the Blue. This show was about boats and the waters around Ireland. It ran for four series. The last series was shown in 2001.

In 2005, he hosted a travel series for older people. It was called Time on Their Hands. One of his last TV appearances was in 2009. He was on the second season of Celebrity Bainisteoir. In this show, celebrities managed a Gaelic football team. Derek's team won the tournament.

During the 2010s, Derek often appeared on TV3's Tonight with Vincent Browne. He would discuss the next morning's newspapers with another guest.

Derek Davis on Radio

Quiz Shows and Phone-ins

In 2000, Derek hosted a radio quiz show. It was called A Question of Food. During the summer, he often took over the mid-morning slot on RTÉ Radio 1. This slot was usually hosted by Today with Pat Kenny.

He also hosted the radio phone-in show, Liveline. He would fill in when the regular presenter, Joe Duffy, was on holiday. Later, he presented Sunday Magazine with Davis on 4 on 4fm.

Final Broadcast

On 10 May 2015, Derek spoke on Marian Finucane's Sunday radio show. The show was presented that day by Aine Lawlor. Lawlor mentioned how much weight Derek had lost recently. She said he looked much smaller than he used to be.

Derek became ill shortly after this broadcast. He passed away three days later, at the age of 67. His funeral was held in Dublin.

Awards and Recognition

Derek Davis won two Jacob's Awards for his television work. These awards recognize excellence in Irish broadcasting.

In 1984, he received his first award. It was for his series called The Season That's In It. He won his second award in 1991. This was for his great work co-presenting Live at 3.