Gráinne Seoige

Early life

The eldest of four children, Seoige was born in Spiddal to Philomena and Mairtín Seoige. Gráinne's youngest sibling, her sister Síle, is also a television presenter. Gráinne was raised in Galway and attended Mercy Convent, Spiddal, before studying at University College Galway (UCG) and graduating with a B.A. in English, Sociology and Political Science. Seoige then went on to complete a Higher Diploma in Applied Communications for Television and Radio through Irish, also at UCG.

Broadcasting career

TG4/TV3

Seoige began her broadcasting career on Halloween, 31 October 1996, with the launch of Teilifís na Gaeilge (now TG4) anchoring the 10pm news bulletin with Gillian Ní Cheallaigh. She stayed at TG4 until 1998, when she was asked to be launch anchor with independent broadcaster TV3 and presented TV3's 5:30pm News (also known as First Edition) and 6:30pm News with Alan Cantwell. Seoige also hosted News Tonight, as well as producing, writing and presenting news updates throughout the day. She also presented occasionally, Ireland's only breakfast programme, TV3's breakfast show Ireland AM. Seoige was on air when the 9/11 terror attack happened and anchored over 7 hours of live news coverage alone that day.

Sky News

Seoige moved to Sky News Ireland and presented its news bulletins from 10 May 2004. She presented bulletins at Sky News headquarters anchoring on every programme between 12 midnight and 12 noon.

RTÉ

Seoige joined Ireland's main national broadcaster, RTÉ, in 2006. From 2006 to 2009, she co-presented an afternoon chat show, Seoige (also known as Seoige and O'Shea), with her sister Síle, while from 2011 to 2016 she co-presented the series Crimecall. Other high-profile roles for her at RTÉ included hosting the People of the Year Awards (2008), co-presenting the Up for the Match sport specials (2008), and presenting The All Ireland Talent Show (2009–2011) and the sports quiz show, Put 'Em Under Pressure.

Seoige also fronted documentary series for RTÉ, including Gráinne Seoige's Modern Life (2011) and Great Irish Journeys, which explored Ireland during the Great Famine. A fluent Irish speaker, Seoige often appears on Tell Me a Story, a programme on the subsidiary children's channel RTÉjr, in which she tells stories in Irish.

In 2022, Seoige appeared on the fifth series of the Irish version of Dancing With the Stars. She was partnered with John Nolan. The couple ended up finishing in 8th place.

ITV

During 2010, Seoige appeared regularly on British channel ITV, as a presenter on breakfast programme GMTV and as features editor on ITV Breakfast's morning programme Daybreak. She covered both national and international news.

BBC One

In 2011, she appeared on the BBC One series That's Britain covering issues including train overcrowding and energy prices.

Political career

Seoige ran as a candidate for Fianna Fáil in Galway West at the 2024 general election. She received 2,929 first preference (4.9%) votes and was eliminated on the ninth count. In November 2025, Seoige described running in the election as "the biggest regret of my life".

Personal life

Seoige has a son who was born when she was 20. In 2002, Seoige married former TV3 colleague and long-term partner Stephen Cullinane; they divorced in 2010. Seoige was honoured by NUI Galway in 2007 with an Alumni Award for her services to the Irish language.

Seoige announced her engagement to South African businessman and former rugby coach Leon Jordaan in 2014. In 2016, Seoige relocated to Pretoria, South Africa, and launched a bespoke diamond dealing business. Seoige and Jordaan married in December 2019.

References

;Interviews

• Appearance on Tubridy Tonight following move to RTÉ
• "Seoige talks Talent and Late Late Shows" – RTÉ Entertainment
• "Interview with Gráinne Seoige" – RTÉ Fashion

References

1. Horan, Niamh. (26 April 2009). "It's 'only a matter of time' until Grainne reads the news on RTÉ". [[Sunday Independent (Ireland).
2. McIntyre, Sarah. (23 March 2010). "Interview with Gráinne Seoige". [[RTÉ]].
3. Collins, Liam. (11 January 2004). "Not the Nine O'Clock News for Sky's Grainne". Sunday Independent.
4. Nolan, Larissa. (24 September 2006). "Nuacht a lae: Seoige goes back to TG4". [[Sunday Independent (Ireland).
5. "Seoige – Presenters". RTÉ.
6. (6 November 2008). "Gráinne Seoige to present new talent show". [[RTÉ]].
7. [http://www.rte.ie/rtejr/tell-me-a-story/ RTÉjr webpage on Tell Me a Story]
8. O’Donoghue, Denise. (10 December 2021). "Dancing with the Stars: Gráinne Seoige and Ellen Keane among first celebrity dancers".
9. "Gráinne Seoige and Ellen Keane among first contestants revealed for new Dancing With the Stars".
10. Hogan, Louise. (19 April 2010). "Lady luck abandons us but Irish sweep fashion stakes". [[Irish Independent]].
11. LN. (21 April 2010). "Grounded Grainne to turn on style for new racing gig with GMTV". [[Evening Herald]].
12. [http://www.gm.tv/presenters/51622-daybreaking-news.html Daybreaking news!] {{webarchive. link. (23 July 2010 GMTV, 20 July 2010)
13. (14 December 2011). "BBC One – That's Britain Episode Guide". BBC.
14. Molony, Senan. (2024-08-14). "Gráinne Seoige will next week lodge papers seeking to run for Fianna Fáil in general election". [[Irish Independent]].
15. MacRedmond, David. (2024-11-30). "Gráinne Seoige has failed to make an impact as a FF candidate in Galway West".
16. (23 November 2025). "Gráinne Seoige: Running in the general election is the biggest regret of my life".
17. "Awww... a rare look at Grainne as a young mum – Herald.ie". Herald.ie.
18. (23 July 2014). ""Grainne Seoige plans not one wedding, but two"". BreakingNews.ie.
19. Pattison, Brynmor. (27 April 2014). "TV beauty Grainne Seoige's happy news: Star announces engagement to Leon Jordaan". [[Irish Daily Mirror]].
20. "'Year of excitement' as Grainne Seoige's RTE contract ends – Independent.ie". Independent.ie.
21. Murphy, Eoin. (29 December 2019). "'We couldn't be happier' – Gráinne Seoige's 'magical' winter wedding". [[Irish Independent.