'With my show I'll travel the world to get the right star' - Lorraine Keane's UTV show won't follow format of Pat Kenny's In the Round

Lorraine Keane arriving on the red carpet for the IFTA Gala Television Awards at the Double Tree by Hilton Hotel, Dublin. Photo by Michael Chester

Elaine McCahill

Since quitting TV3's Xpose in 2009 Lorraine Keane has been in a sort of TV limbo, but said her dreams have now come true after landing her own chat show on UTV Ireland.

The stylish beauty has landed her own series following the success of her one-off interview with singer Josh Groban earlier this year.

"This is what I've wanted for a really long time," she told the Diary.

"Every presenter will tell you that the real privilege in this business is to be given the opportunity to ask questions and talk and be paid for it so we all love the idea of a chat show.

"So from that point of view it's going to be really nice for me to do full interviews with stars that have probably been around for a long time and have a great back story.

"The people I'll be interviewing are extremely well-known and it will be a mixture of Irish and international stars," she said.

Lorraine wouldn't comment on Pat Kenny's In the Round show, which was cancelled, but it's believed her format will have a more relaxed feel and won't be filmed in front of a live audience.

"With my show, it's a moveable feast so I'll travel the world to get the right star," she said.

The 42-year-old will film six episodes and said she's going to have a longer time slot to get to know her guests.

"It's a lovely series because it's full-on half hour interviews so you can really get your teeth into it and know that very little of it will be left on the cutting room floor," she said.

"Because there's nothing more frustrating when you do a 15 or 20 minute interview and they only show three or four minutes."

Lorraine is mum to Romy (9) and Emilia (12), with her husband Peter Devlin and she left Xpose to spend more time with her family.

Her new role is part-time and Lorraine said she now has the best of both worlds.

"I'm in UTV Ireland three days a week which is bliss," she said.

"When you've got two children it's just great, so long may it last."

Lorraine is also busy with her Keane on Style fashion and beauty days out and is currently organising one for a charity in Drogheda.

"I'm doing one for 400 people at the City North hotel in January," she said.

"It's a part fundraiser for Boomerang café which is a local community building for the under-privileged in that area so I'm looking forward to that."