During an interview on Friday, radio presenter Neil Prendeville said alcohol was to blame for his lewd behavior on board an Aer Lingus flight last October, according to the Examiner.
Prendeville, one of Ireland’s leading presenters allegedly exposed himself to a female journalist on the plane and triggered a major incident.
The radio interview, on 96FM in Ireland, was his first since the incident and occurred just three days before Prendeville returns to air after the decision by the Director of Public Prosecutions not to prosecute him for exposing himself during a flight from Heathrow to Cork.
"All through my career I’ve had a very precarious relationship with alcohol and I think that over the last three, maybe four years certainly, a lot more precarious," he said.
Prendeville said that he contemplated suicide after the media fallout from the incident. He told TV3 that but for his children, he would "probably have taken an overdose of tablets."
He criticized the tabloid media further, saying "humanity with some tabloids took a back seat here, it got kicked out of the front of the car, publishing my children’s names and their ages, you know, they are minors."
Prendeville said he hadn't been able to support his family during the five months he was without work at 96FM.
On his return to air on Monday, he said: "I don’t know if this is going to work. I’m willing to give it some months and if it works it works and if it doesn’t, then I’ll go."
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Switch to the desktop site to post a comment.Kilbarry1 | Mar 27, 2011, 09:20 PM EDT
He criticized the tabloid media further, saying "humanity with some tabloids took a back seat here, it got kicked out of the front of the car, publishing my children’s names and their ages, you know, they are minors." ...... Indeed and would all this have happened in the Age of De Valera and McQuaid? Can you imagine lurid headlines in the Irish Press and the guys children being targetted by the Cork Examiner? I thought that Ireland was supposed to be becoming more Caring and Compassionate by the hour - compared to the "Intolerance" and "Hypocricy" of our grandparents' generation. So how does this hysteria fit into the 'caring and compassionate' theory of Irish history?
Laura Wilson | Mar 27, 2011, 05:58 PM EDT
Gutless, everyone wants a crutch grow a pair & man up it's a generation of NO-accountibility
Irishphotograph | Mar 27, 2011, 05:53 PM EDT
Alcohol is more destructive than any other drug and I too have done bad things while under the influence of this powerful drug
Dublinjas | Mar 27, 2011, 04:52 PM EDT
Who really wants to hear anything from this incredible fcuking WANKER
donal1951 | Mar 27, 2011, 01:13 PM EDT
I like the drink as well as the next man, but it has never caused me to disgrace myself that way. My sympathies are with the female journalist forced to sit next to this wanker.
Paulinebyrne | Mar 27, 2011, 12:27 PM EDT
I thought the "Drink was to blame" era was long over. If you knew you had a precarious relationship with alcohol, you clearly made the choice to partake. You and you alone are to blame. You might have considered the consequences a little earlier, or are you another of these who believe they are the chosen and can do as they like.
sirpeter | Mar 27, 2011, 11:10 AM EDT
mollycolleen..You obviously don't know this guy.Prendeville is merciless to people who ring him up,and has no tolerance when it comes to human failings. If there was any guy in Cork who deserved what he got.It was him
antoman | Mar 27, 2011, 10:25 AM EDT
@Mollycolleen-Had I done what he did.At the very least I would have been forced to sit outside during the flight home.Not to mention being prosecuted by the law too.
Trealach | Mar 27, 2011, 10:12 AM EDT
I wonder did he report it to the Gardai that he was abused BY alcohol? .... give me a break!! Grow up man, and take responsibility for your OWN despicable Actions. I suppose next you'll tell us the bottle opened on its own and shoved its neck down your throat?
mollycolleen | Mar 27, 2011, 10:07 AM EDT
Antoman, you are vulgar to say the least and totally lacking common decency. The man has been publicly humiliated enough and you want to keep it up? Let him who is without sin cast the first stone.
antoman | Mar 27, 2011, 09:10 AM EDT
He owns a pub/restaurant kind of thing in Cork I believe and he has a problem with alcohol?Gives new meaning to the expression "can I pull you a pint?".I'll be phoning him Monday asking did he wash his hands before 'coming' on the air.