Beaming into our homes from Ballydung Manor earlier this year, we witnessed the behaviour of two irascible bachelors, Podge and Rodge. Pecking away at their guests like a pair of comic vultures, their popularity soared with each passing show. The result is record viewing figures for RTE 2, a second series this autumn and sell-out shows in Vicar Street in October.

Sitting pretty on top of this comedy colossus is the presenter of ‘The Podge and Rodge Show’, 30 year old Lucy Kennedy from south county Dublin. Lucy formerly worked with the terrible two behind the scenes on the late night show ‘A Scare At Bedtime’. Now very much in the limelight, Lucy spoke to ‘NewsFour’ about her new life in Ballydung.

What’s a nice girl like you doing in Ballydung Manor?
I did a television course about six years ago and from that I started working on shows. I was Eamonn Dunphy’s assistant on ‘The Weakest Link’ on TV3. I went from job to job after that, on and off the dole for four years, just working for myself as a freelance producer.

Then I got a spot on Double Z, the production people who made ‘A Scare at Bedtime’. I did two series for them, producing behind the scenes. After that, I got a job on a show called ‘The Ex-Files’ and while I was doing that I got a call to do an audition for a new show for RTE featuring the two boys and despite being up against some serious competition, I got the job! Having known P and D previously helped, but it was still nerve-wracking. I couldn’t believe it when they rang me to say I got it!

Why do you think the show has been so successful?
Podge and Rodge are such traditional Irish characters. They may be puppets but there is something real about them too. They were already well established with ‘A Scare at Bedtime’ but I think now they have human interaction and the show goes out at an earlier time, it has made a huge difference. Something just clicked with the people. It’s rude, it’s different and I think the public just accepts the smut. They love it. There is nothing else on television like it. It has definitely broken the mould for RTE programmes. A friend of mine was in Howth recently and the pub actually stopped serving when the show was on. That gives you an idea of what Irish people think of the show.

How much input do you have in the show?
Podge and Rodge’s responsibility is basically interviewing. Mine is audience participation and contestant interaction. I would have a say. If I didn’t want to do something, I say “get stuffed”, but if I get any good ideas they would let me do them.

What is your favourite part of ‘The Podge and Rodge Show’?
I really enjoy going out on the streets talking to people. What I love about this country and what I love about the vox pops, which is what we call the interviews on the streets, is you can ask an Irish person a straight question and you will get a straight answer. They won’t think twice about what they are going to say, they will just give it to you straight- and I have such a laugh doing it. The stuff people come out with is unbelievable. We only use threeminutes in the show but there is enough material there to make a show in itself.

Will there be any changes for the new series in the autumn?
There will be more audience interaction. I will be going into the crowd and getting them to heckle and argue with Podge and Rodge and they in turn will abuse the audience. We are also going to drop the games and concentrate more on the interviews. Everything else will stay the same.

There was talk of more shows, but I think that will kill us all. It’s a long day in the studio. We are there from 2 until 10 with lots of bright lights over you and no air for a long time, so it is draining and very tiring, but I am not complaining because, unlike a lot of my friends, I love my job. I really feel I am one of the lucky ones.

Tell us about the Vicar Street shows coming up in the autumn.
Vicar Street will be the same format as the TV show. I will be onstage with P and R , so my advice to anyone going is: don’t sit in the front rows! I have to say though, the thought of going live in front of 700, 800 people is frankly daunting.

On the nights in Vicar Street, we will call upon some people we have already met, who are strong enough to do a good interview, because obviously the interviews will be much longer as well as being the basis of the show.

We have a rough idea at the moment what we are going to do, but it is still to be finally decided. We might have some bands, you never know. The original two shows sold out in ten minutes, so there will be extra nights for sure. Doing Vicar Street in October and the TV shows as well is going to be mad busy and really manic as well.

You have some time off in the summer. What do you plan on doing?
During the summer I will be doing two trips for ‘No Frontiers’, the travel show. It’s not confirmed yet where I am going but I enjoyed the trips I took with them last year so that should be fun. Then my sister is getting married abroad in August, so I can write that month off. I have three months to switch off this summer and refuel for what is going to be a mental nine months afterwards.

What about personal ambitions? Do you have plans after ‘The Podge and Rodge Show’?
My professional plan for this year or early next year is to open my production company. I would like to be able to come with my own ideas and produce them for television. I am a big fan of reality TV and would see myself coming up with shows in that format.

Personally, I am with the same guy for seven years. We just bought a house together in Glasthule, so that’s commitment enough for me. I have no plans for marriage and babies yet. I’m just going to concentrate on my career at present, then maybe in four or five year’s time, I might start feeling broody– who knows!

Above: Lucy with the beastly Ballydung bachelors.