Laura Woods
Encyclopedia
Laura Woods is an Irish
television presenter and former radio continuity announcer
. She began her television career by presenting iD (later iD Two
and TTV
), co-presenting The Cafe
with Aidan Power
and later presenting SMS. She then presented numerous game shows, including Winning Streak
, Fame and Fortune
, The Trump Card
and The Big Money Game
. She is also known for her radio appearances on The Will Leahy Show on RTÉ 2fm
.
and French
in Trinity College, Dublin
, and obtained a post-graduation diploma
in journalism
and media
from Griffith College Dublin
.
. In 1999, she presented the Breakfast Show on Trinity FM. She joined RTÉ Television
as a continuity announcer in 2000.
Moving from continuity announcing in September 2002, Woods became the face of iD(renamed iD Two
in late 2004, and becoming TTV
in September 2005) and remained there until May 2005. In 2004 she began co-presenting three series of The Cafe
with Aidan Power
. Woods anchored RTÉ's coverage of the Festival of World Cultures in 2005 and 2006, and joined Dave Fanning
in Hyde Park
to cover Live8 in July 2005. In September 2005, she began hosting SMS, but left the show to concentrate on
presenting the Irish National Lottery
game show
Winning Streak
from January–March 2006 while regular presenter Derek Mooney
was presenting You're a Star.
Woods hosted another Irish National Lottery game show Fame and Fortune
in June 2006, and went on to present the show's successors, The Trump Card
from June–August 2007, and The Big Money Game
from June–August 2008. In 2007, she also began presenting an event guide on 2fm
's The Will Leahy Show and made an appearance on the People in Need Telethon. She appeared as a judge on It's My Show and participant on Anonymous
in the first half of 2008. Then work at RTÉ for Woods dried up.
Woods has since moved to independent station TV3, where she was a panellist on the Midday programme, and she now co-presents the breakfast show Ireland AM
alongside Mark Cagney
, Aidan Cooney
and Sinead Desmond
, while Alan Hughes is on honeymoon and Anna Daly is on her maternity leave. Over the years, she has interviewed a wide variety of celebrities, including Brad Pitt
, Will Smith
, Ben Affleck
and Cate Blanchett
.
Irish people
The Irish people are an ethnic group who originate in Ireland, an island in northwestern Europe. Ireland has been populated for around 9,000 years , with the Irish people's earliest ancestors recorded having legends of being descended from groups such as the Nemedians, Fomorians, Fir Bolg, Tuatha...
television presenter and former radio continuity announcer
Continuity (broadcasting)
'Continuity' or 'presentation' is a term used in broadcasting, especially in the United Kingdom , to refer to announcements, messages and graphics played by the broadcaster between specific programmes...
. She began her television career by presenting iD (later iD Two
ID Two
iD Two was a programming strand on RTÉ Two which ran from 17:00 to 19:00 weekdays, following The Den. It aired between 2002 and 2005...
and TTV
TTV (RTÉ)
TTV was a youth-aimed programming strand broadcast on RTÉ Two in Ireland, from 17:00 - 19:00, on weekdays. TTV replaced iD Two, which was basically the same show with few differences, on Monday 19 September 2005...
), co-presenting The Cafe
The Cafe (chat show)
The Cafe was an Irish chat programme aimed at youthful persons. It was broadcast on RTÉ Two as part of the TTV strand each Friday evening at 19:00, having switched from its previous location in the Thursday scheduling from 7 November 2008....
with Aidan Power
Aidan Power
Aidan Power is an Irish television presenter. He appears from time to time on Raidió Teilifís Éireann .-Career:Power was educated at St. Mac Dara's community college and then Ballyfermot Senior College where he obtained a postgraduate diploma in broadcasting and journalism in 1998...
and later presenting SMS. She then presented numerous game shows, including Winning Streak
Winning Streak
Winning Streak is a weekly Irish game show in which five contestants play a number of games to win cars, holidays, and cash prizes up to €500,000. Broadcast on Saturday nights between September and June on RTÉ One, the game show is among the channel's most popular programmes, often ranking among...
, Fame and Fortune
Fame and Fortune (television)
Fame & Fortune is an Irish game show broadcast on RTÉ One on Saturday nights from 1996 to 2006. Hosted by popular Irish television and radio personality Marty Whelan , the show aired during the summer months of June, July, and August as a seasonal replacement for Winning Streak...
, The Trump Card
The Trump Card
The Trump Card was an Irish game show broadcast on RTÉ One during the summer months of 2007 as a seasonal replacement for Winning Streak. Launched as the successor to Fame and Fortune , The Trump Card had its prize money funded by the Irish National Lottery and its production costs paid by RTÉ...
and The Big Money Game
The Big Money Game
The Big Money Game is an Irish game show, broadcast on RTÉ One on Saturday nights during the summer months of June, July and August as a seasonal replacement for Winning Streak. The successor to Fame and Fortune and The Trump Card , The Big Money Game was first broadcast on Saturday, 14 June 2008...
. She is also known for her radio appearances on The Will Leahy Show on RTÉ 2fm
RTÉ 2fm
RTÉ 2fm, or 2FM as it is more commonly referred to, is Raidió Teilifís Éireann's second national radio station. It broadcasts popular music programming aimed at a young Irish audience.- History :...
.
Early life
As a teenager Woods was involved in acting with the Trinity Players Drama Society; she also studied dance for 16 years. She studied sociologySociology
Sociology is the study of society. It is a social science—a term with which it is sometimes synonymous—which uses various methods of empirical investigation and critical analysis to develop a body of knowledge about human social activity...
and French
French language
French is a Romance language spoken as a first language in France, the Romandy region in Switzerland, Wallonia and Brussels in Belgium, Monaco, the regions of Quebec and Acadia in Canada, and by various communities elsewhere. Second-language speakers of French are distributed throughout many parts...
in Trinity College, Dublin
Trinity College, Dublin
Trinity College, Dublin , formally known as the College of the Holy and Undivided Trinity of Queen Elizabeth near Dublin, was founded in 1592 by letters patent from Queen Elizabeth I as the "mother of a university", Extracts from Letters Patent of Elizabeth I, 1592: "...we...found and...
, and obtained a post-graduation diploma
Diploma
A diploma is a certificate or deed issued by an educational institution, such as a university, that testifies that the recipient has successfully completed a particular course of study or confers an academic degree. In countries such as the United Kingdom and Australia, the word diploma refers to...
in journalism
Journalism
Journalism is the practice of investigation and reporting of events, issues and trends to a broad audience in a timely fashion. Though there are many variations of journalism, the ideal is to inform the intended audience. Along with covering organizations and institutions such as government and...
and media
Media studies
Media studies is an academic discipline and field of study that deals with the content, history and effects of various media; in particular, the 'mass media'. Media studies may draw on traditions from both the social sciences and the humanities, but mostly from its core disciplines of mass...
from Griffith College Dublin
Griffith College Dublin
Griffith College Dublin is a private third level college in the Republic of Ireland. It is based in and named after the former Griffith Barracks on the South Circular Road in Dublin. It offers courses accredited by a number of institutions and bodies in Ireland and Britain...
.
Career
Whilst in her third year at Trinity, Woods began her broadcasting career by working as a continuity announcer on RTÉ RadioRTÉ Radio
RTÉ Radio is a department of Irish national broadcaster Raidió Teilifís Éireann. RTÉ Radio broadcasts four analogue channels and five digital channels....
. In 1999, she presented the Breakfast Show on Trinity FM. She joined RTÉ Television
RTÉ Television
RTÉ Television is a department of Ireland's state broadcaster Raidió Teilifís Éireann.The first channel to broadcast was Telefís Éireann which began broadcasting on 31 December 1961...
as a continuity announcer in 2000.
Moving from continuity announcing in September 2002, Woods became the face of iD(renamed iD Two
ID Two
iD Two was a programming strand on RTÉ Two which ran from 17:00 to 19:00 weekdays, following The Den. It aired between 2002 and 2005...
in late 2004, and becoming TTV
TTV (RTÉ)
TTV was a youth-aimed programming strand broadcast on RTÉ Two in Ireland, from 17:00 - 19:00, on weekdays. TTV replaced iD Two, which was basically the same show with few differences, on Monday 19 September 2005...
in September 2005) and remained there until May 2005. In 2004 she began co-presenting three series of The Cafe
The Cafe (chat show)
The Cafe was an Irish chat programme aimed at youthful persons. It was broadcast on RTÉ Two as part of the TTV strand each Friday evening at 19:00, having switched from its previous location in the Thursday scheduling from 7 November 2008....
with Aidan Power
Aidan Power
Aidan Power is an Irish television presenter. He appears from time to time on Raidió Teilifís Éireann .-Career:Power was educated at St. Mac Dara's community college and then Ballyfermot Senior College where he obtained a postgraduate diploma in broadcasting and journalism in 1998...
. Woods anchored RTÉ's coverage of the Festival of World Cultures in 2005 and 2006, and joined Dave Fanning
Dave Fanning
Dave Fanning is an Irish rock journalist, DJ, retired film critic and veteran broadcaster. He currently hosts The 11th Hour on RTÉ Two and two radio shows: Drivetime with Dave on RTÉ Radio 1 and The Dave Fanning Show on RTÉ 2fm. He also fills in for other presenters on RTÉ Radio, including acting...
in Hyde Park
Hyde Park, London
Hyde Park is one of the largest parks in central London, United Kingdom, and one of the Royal Parks of London, famous for its Speakers' Corner.The park is divided in two by the Serpentine...
to cover Live8 in July 2005. In September 2005, she began hosting SMS, but left the show to concentrate on
presenting the Irish National Lottery
National Lottery (Ireland)
The National Lottery is the state lottery of Ireland. It was founded when the Oireachtas passed the to support initiatives in the areas of sport and recreation, health and welfare, national heritage and the arts, and the Irish language. Since gaming operations began on 23 March 1987, over €3.6...
game show
Game show
A game show is a type of radio or television program in which members of the public, television personalities or celebrities, sometimes as part of a team, play a game which involves answering questions or solving puzzles usually for money and/or prizes...
Winning Streak
Winning Streak
Winning Streak is a weekly Irish game show in which five contestants play a number of games to win cars, holidays, and cash prizes up to €500,000. Broadcast on Saturday nights between September and June on RTÉ One, the game show is among the channel's most popular programmes, often ranking among...
from January–March 2006 while regular presenter Derek Mooney
Derek Mooney
Derek James Mooney is an Irish radio and television presenter, as well as a radio producer. He currently presents a weekday afternoon programme called Mooney on RTÉ Radio 1....
was presenting You're a Star.
Woods hosted another Irish National Lottery game show Fame and Fortune
Fame and Fortune (television)
Fame & Fortune is an Irish game show broadcast on RTÉ One on Saturday nights from 1996 to 2006. Hosted by popular Irish television and radio personality Marty Whelan , the show aired during the summer months of June, July, and August as a seasonal replacement for Winning Streak...
in June 2006, and went on to present the show's successors, The Trump Card
The Trump Card
The Trump Card was an Irish game show broadcast on RTÉ One during the summer months of 2007 as a seasonal replacement for Winning Streak. Launched as the successor to Fame and Fortune , The Trump Card had its prize money funded by the Irish National Lottery and its production costs paid by RTÉ...
from June–August 2007, and The Big Money Game
The Big Money Game
The Big Money Game is an Irish game show, broadcast on RTÉ One on Saturday nights during the summer months of June, July and August as a seasonal replacement for Winning Streak. The successor to Fame and Fortune and The Trump Card , The Big Money Game was first broadcast on Saturday, 14 June 2008...
from June–August 2008. In 2007, she also began presenting an event guide on 2fm
RTÉ 2fm
RTÉ 2fm, or 2FM as it is more commonly referred to, is Raidió Teilifís Éireann's second national radio station. It broadcasts popular music programming aimed at a young Irish audience.- History :...
's The Will Leahy Show and made an appearance on the People in Need Telethon. She appeared as a judge on It's My Show and participant on Anonymous
Anonymous (TV series)
Anonymous is an Irish television series broadcast on RTÉ Two. Its concept is to disguise well-known personalities, with the use of prosthetic masks, bestow upon them a fake identity and set them up in what are intended to be humorous situations for the sake of entertainment...
in the first half of 2008. Then work at RTÉ for Woods dried up.
Woods has since moved to independent station TV3, where she was a panellist on the Midday programme, and she now co-presents the breakfast show Ireland AM
Ireland AM
Ireland AM is Ireland's only breakfast television programme. The show is broadcast live every weekday morning by TV3 and 3e.- Early years :...
alongside Mark Cagney
Mark Cagney
Mark Cagney was born in Cork, Ireland. Cagney was one of eight children in the family; he left home at age 15 because of difficulties with his father, who he described as a "remarkable man": an inventor, a musician, a welder, a mechanic, and a lecturer in electronics. Cagney learned how to take...
, Aidan Cooney
Aidan Cooney
Aidan Cooney is an Irish television and radio presenter. He is a presenter of Ireland AM on TV3. He also works doing the weekday mid-morning show on Q102 from 11am-2pm.-Ireland AM:...
and Sinead Desmond
Sinead Desmond
Sinead Desmond is an Irish television presenter, presenting TV3 breakfast show Ireland AM. For most of her career she has worked as journalist in both the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland, writing for publications including the monthly food magazine for The Observer newspaper, Marie...
, while Alan Hughes is on honeymoon and Anna Daly is on her maternity leave. Over the years, she has interviewed a wide variety of celebrities, including Brad Pitt
Brad Pitt
William Bradley "Brad" Pitt is an American actor and film producer. Pitt has received two Academy Award nominations and four Golden Globe Award nominations, winning one...
, Will Smith
Will Smith
Willard Christopher "Will" Smith, Jr. , also known by his stage name The Fresh Prince, is an American actor, producer, and rapper. He has enjoyed success in television, film and music. In April 2007, Newsweek called him the most powerful actor in Hollywood...
, Ben Affleck
Ben Affleck
Benjamin Géza Affleck-Boldt , better known as Ben Affleck, is an American actor, film director, writer, and producer. He became known with his performances in Kevin Smith's films such as Mallrats and Chasing Amy...
and Cate Blanchett
Cate Blanchett
Catherine Élise "Cate" Blanchett is an Australian actress. She came to international attention for her role as Elizabeth I of England in the 1998 biopic film Elizabeth, for which she won British Academy of Film and Television Arts and Golden Globe Awards, and earned her first Academy Award...
.