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Brendan Courtney

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Brendan Courtney
Courtney in 2013
Born (1971-06-24) 24 June 1971 (age 53)
Tallaght, Dublin, Ireland
NationalityIrish
Notable works and rolesWanderlust
The Brendan Courtney Show
Playdate
Off the Rails
Keys To My Life

Brendan Courtney (born 24 June 1971) is an Irish TV presenter and fashion designer. He was the first openly gay presenter in Ireland.[1] He has hosted Wanderlust on RTÉ Two, The Brendan Courtney Show on TV3.

Career

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Courtney began his career on RTÉ Two's Wanderlust and ITV1's Love Match UK. He was the main developer of the idea of Wanderlust. He previously hosted The Brendan Courtney Show, a prime time talk show on Ireland's TV3 television channel. He also presented the RTÉ reality show Treasure Island.

In October 2006, he became the presenter on ITV2's late night dating show Playdate. From 2006 to 2008, he hosted and produced The Clothes Show with Caryn Franklyn and Louise Redknapp, As of Autumn 2008, he was co-hosting RTÉ One's Off the Rails.[2][3] He also frequently hosted at the Clothes Show Live in Birmingham.[4] He was on the panel of judges on Ladies' Day at the 138th RDS Horse Show on 4 August 2011.[5] He has also judged Alternative Miss Ireland in The George, Dublin.[6] He is one half of design duo Lennon Courtney along with Sonya Lennon.[7]

Since 2020, he was hosted Keys To My Life on RTE1.

Activism

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In August 2009, Courtney spoke at a rally in Dublin requesting full marriage equality.[8]

Alleged homophobic assaults

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Courtney was attacked in a hate crime by a stranger while walking home down South Great George's Street in Dublin in 2011, a man punched him in the face and shouted "queer" before running away. Courtney said it was "disgraceful" that such an incident could occur in Dublin.[9] He told Liveline that more than 50 other gay people had told him of their own experiences of being assaulted or verbally abused in towns nationwide.[10]

In 2023 Courtney penned a letter to the Irish Examiner condemning an assault on a gay Navan teen and advocating for activism and community solidarity for the LGBTQ+ community. In it he recounted his own experiences being attacked as a young teen and in 2014 being punched in the face in an evidently homophobic attack.[11][12]

In February 2025 Courtney was attacked by three men as he walked to his home in Dublin. Courtney posited that the attack was motivated by homophobia and that the men recognised him as a TV presenter.[13][14]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "RTÉ's new Cilla is a gay man". Irish Independent. 13 August 2000. Retrieved 30 July 2011.
  2. ^ "Off The Rails". RTÉ. Archived from the original on 23 September 2010. Retrieved 3 June 2009.
  3. ^ "A stylish match". Irish Independent. 13 September 2008. Retrieved 13 September 2008.
  4. ^ "Clothes Show Live – Celebrities". Archived from the original on 8 July 2011. Retrieved 5 December 2010.
  5. ^ Mac Connell, Seán (4 August 2011). "Plenty of horseplay and shopping as stage is set for the real competition". The Irish Times. Retrieved 4 August 2011.
  6. ^ Mullally, Una (15 October 2011). "'Gay Christmas' is cancelled. So long, Alternative Miss Ireland". The Irish Times. Retrieved 15 October 2011.
  7. ^ "Sonya Lennon – Designer – Personally Speaking Bureau". Retrieved 6 February 2017.
  8. ^ Geen, Jessica (10 August 2009). "Thousands march for gay marriage in Dublin". Pink News. Retrieved 10 August 2009.
  9. ^ "TV star back on feet after attack". Sunday Independent. 13 February 2011. Retrieved 13 February 2011.
  10. ^ Murphy, Claire (15 February 2011). "Brendan overwhelmed by support after attack". Evening Herald. Retrieved 15 February 2011.
  11. ^ Courtney, Brendan (19 May 2023). "Brendan Courtney: To a 14-year-old battling hate — your story will help bring change". Irish Examiner. Retrieved 28 February 2025.
  12. ^ Fanucci, Beatrice (22 May 2023). "Irish presenter Brendan Courtney shares empowering letter to teen attacked in Navan". GCN. Retrieved 28 February 2025.
  13. ^ Bowers, Shauna (28 February 2025). "Brendan Courtney assaulted in Dublin city amid concerns over 'anti-gay rhetoric coming back'". The Irish Times. Retrieved 28 February 2025.
  14. ^ Sheehy, Éilís (28 February 2025). "Brendan Courtney 'completely shaken' after Dublin assault". RTÉ News. Retrieved 28 February 2025.
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