Radio Host Confirms Breakup From Longtime Girlfriend

Former The RTÉ 2fm Breakfast Show presenter Eoghan McDermott and his longtime girlfriend Aoife Melia have split. After first dating for several years while in university and later rekindling their romance in 2016, the Irish TV presenter confirmed in a Monday, July 25 post to his Instagram Story that he and Melia broke up about 18 months ago.

Addressing their split shortly after the Daily Mail first reported that he and Melia had reportedly gone their separate ways, McDermott described the split as “life-altering.” Noting that he “had reporters asking for comment the last few months at this stage, which has been tough” and had been “anticipating that a private story would play out in public,” the radio star shared, “all I can say is that the last 18 months have been devastating & life-altering in ways that I haven’t fully processed yet.”

“I met Aoife 15 years ago and think she has been and will remain the most wonderful person I’ve ever known,” he continued. “‘I’m sorry we didn’t get to see our story have a happy ending and so sorry for the turmoil that upended her life, through no fault of her own. All I can do is thank her for the many wonderful years together and wish her every happiness in her new life.”

In the update, McDermott went on to reflect on the impact Melia had and still has on his life, writing, “Pretty much every bit of myself I’ve worked on & improved over the years has been on account of wanting to live up to her standards and match her best qualities.” The star shared that his ex-girlfriend “made me kinder, gentler, more patient, less selfish and better in most ways a person could measure.” He ended the post by writing, “I hope she finds the happiness and peace she so richly deserves. That’s all. Take care everyone. Look after yourselves.” Melia, a doctor, has not publicly commented on their breakup.

The Daily Mail was first to report about the split, which coincided with his abrupt from his Irish broadcaster (RTE) role and public life in February 2021. According to the outlet, amid the split, McDermott, who narrates Love Island Australia, kept his and Melia’s dog, Rua. Melia, meanwhile, has reportedly since sparked a romance with Charlie Coyle, dating the heir to Ireland’s Tayto potato chips empire. McDermott and Melia first dated while in university, though they later split. In 2016, McDermott announced that they were again dating, writing at the time, “met this firecracker 10 years ago! We’ve gone off and lived different lives in different countries, grown into different people, reconnected recently and are now going for round two-7 years later. Life is so brilliantly random sometimes.”