Irish broadcaster Ryan Tubridy has confirmed his engagement to Dr. Clare Kambamettu, the Co Kildare woman who won the Rose of Tralee in 2010.
Tubridy announced the news on his 'Ryan Tubridy Show' on Virgin Radio UK - which is simulcast on Dublin's Q102 - on Tuesday morning.
"I have a little bit of news that I was kind of keeping a little bit to myself, and to ourselves, on the basis that, even though I'm a public person doing the job I do, I also have quite a lot of privacy that I like to keep to myself," Tubridy said on his show on Tuesday.
"However, the cat has been removed from the bag for a number of different reasons, and I'm very, very, very happy to confirm that I did indeed get engaged to my partner Clare on Thursday evening in the West of Ireland.
"It is a very beautiful feeling."
Tubridy recalled: "We were surrounded by gorgeous people who we didn't know - strangers in the hotel and people who were working around the place.
"Got a beautiful ring organized, and the weather was gorgeous - it's just the accumulation of a lot of lovely things happening, and I just decided, this is the time."
Tubridy said there would be more details to follow.
He added: "It's a very exciting time to be alive. I'm a very, very lucky man.
"I think it's one of those beautiful moments where the world feels lighter and there's a whole new adventure ahead."
He added: "Lucky man. Beautiful day. The future is bright."
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The Irish Independent noted on Tuesday that O’Dalaigh Jewellers in Clifden, Co Galway, accidentally revealed the engagement news on social media before Tubridy and Kambamettu could.
In its now-deleted post on social media on Monday afternoon, the shop said: “Ryan along with so many others have fallen in love with Connemara over the years. He discreetly came to us to discuss a special ring he needed for a very special lady. He knew that getting the ring in the West of Ireland would mean so much to Clare and he also wanted to shop local, which we are very grateful for!
“We chatted about Clare’s style and bounced ideas over and back from London. From that, he chose a stunning 2.4 carat diamond ring which has a beautiful balance between a modern and old elegant style. The centre diamond is a 2 carat emerald cut with two tapered diamond baguettes on either side.
"From our conversations with Ryan we knew Clare would prefer certified lab diamonds over natural diamonds to guarantee the stones being conflict free and without environmental impact from diamond mining.
“Through working with customers it’s lovely to find out their back story and what I can say after meeting Ryan and Clare is that it seemed like destiny that their paths would cross as they have both had so many great memories in Connemara and as a result have such a grá for the place. This love story continues and in the process it’s great to hear some positive news. Wishing this very happy couple a wonderful future together. Jonathan and all the O’Dalaigh Team.”
The since-deleted Instagram post was accompanied by a picture of Tubridy, Kambamettu, and a member of O'Dailagh Jewellers' staff.
Ryan Tubridy and Dr. Clare Kambamettu
Tubridy and Kambamettu, a clinical psychologist, are understood to have first met in March 2023 when she appeared on his "Ryan Tubridy Show" on RTÉ Radio. They made their first official appearance as a couple later that year at the Irish Post Awards in London.
Dublin native Tubridy, 52, began his career in radio broadcasting with RTÉ, first as a reporter and later as a presenter. In 2009, he was announced as the new host of RTÉ's long-running "The Late Late Show." In March 2023, he announced he would be stepping down as host that May.
In June 2023, he presented what would be his final show on RTÉ Radio after RTÉ admitted he received a series of payments totaling €345,000 above his published salary between 2017 and 2022. Turbidy said at the time: "I can’t shed any light on why RTÉ treated these payments in the way that they did nor can I answer for their mistakes in this regard.”
Negotiations for Tubridy to return to RTÉ broke down that August. In November, it was announced that he would be joining the London-based Virgin Radio UK in the new year.
Ryan Tubridy in 2018. (RollingNews.ie)
Kambamettu was born in London to an Irish mother and Indian father; when she was a child, the family moved to Co Kildare, where she was raised. Kambamettu has a B.A. in Psychology and History and H. Dip. in Psychology from NUI Galway, where she also received her doctorate in Clinical Psychology. She also completed a Master's in Mental Health, specializing in Cognitive Behavioural Therapy at King's College London.
In 2010, 26-year-old Kambamettu entered - and won - the Rose of Tralee, representing London.
Clare Kambamettu as the Rose of Tralee. (RollingNews.ie)
In a twist, Tubridy had served as host of the iconic Rose of Tralee in 2003 and 2004. After divorcing his first wife Anne Marie Power - with whom he shares two children - he dated another former Rose of Tralee, Aoibhinn Ní Shúilleabháin.
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