The Den Returns

Having been absent for the past 10 years, the show has returned with familiar faces. The lawless Zig and Zag have been reunited with the politically involved parody music star, Dustin the Turkey. The show also sees the return of Ray D’Arcy who presented the show from 1990 until 1998. 

Having first broadcast on RTÉ 1 back on the 29th September 1986, The Den then moved to Network 2. The show went on to become a family favourite all across the country as it pushed the boundaries of children’s television with its wacky, sarcastic humour while never fearing to hold back when the puppet characters would interview the show’s guests. It was both lighthearted and fun while also encouraging kids to learn through quizzes, music and art. 

The Den was presented by Ian Dempsey from 1986 until 1990 before D’Arcy took over for his 8 year stint. Following presenters included Damien McCaul, Francis Boylan Jr and Kathryn McKiernan. After a steady run and then a number of revamps, the show was last aired on 19th September 2010.  

Since its inception, The Den has managed to capture the imaginations of kids through the use of much loved puppet characters such as Zig and Zag, Dustin the Turkey, Snotser and Podge and Rodge. For many of these characters, The Den laid the foundations for successful careers in a variety of areas of the entertainment business.

The furry extraterrestrial twins Zig and Zag shocked the nation in 1992 by jumping ship and joining up with Chris Evans for Channel 4’s Big Breakfast Show. During this time, the duo managed to sneak in an interview with Donald Trump as they asked him for business advice, of which he was only willing to give for a price! In later years, they appeared on Big Brother’s Little Brother and even had their own Saturday morning radio show, Smells Like Saturday, where they blended comedy with music for a two hour weekly slot.

Podge and Rodge went on to fulfil their dream of presenting their own chat show on RTÉ Two, co-hosted by Lucy Kennedy for the first three seasons and then co-hosted by alternating female celebrities for the fourth. Guests on the show included Hazel O’Conner, Jerry Fish, Shane MacGowan, Sinead O’Conner, Bez and Róisín Murphy.

And of course, then there’s Dustin, who went on to release a selection of parody albums and countless singles since his first way back in 1990. Some of his most memorable releases include Rat Trap with Bob Geldof, Mary with Mary Robinson, Fairytale of New York and Sweet Caroline, the last of which managed to hit the number 1 spot in the Irish singles charts! But who can forget when Dustin most famously won the public vote in order to represent Ireland in the semi finals of the 2008 Eurovision Song Contest…Unfortunately Dustin didn’t make it to the finals, but the 90’s trance influenced track Irelande Douze Pointe did make it to number 5 in the Irish singles charts!

The Den featured some classic moments throughout the years, but perhaps one of the most memorable is Kevin from Galway’s appearance on the What’s Snots feature of the show. The premise for What’s Snots was simple… Those who called in had to guess what person, place or object Snotser, the high pitched pig puppet, was thinking of. Kevin from Galway called in and proceeded to deviate from the aim of the game, asking Snotser where he got his glasses and if he is, in fact, a sheep…

In 1991, the crowd from The Den took a trip to Moscow. Ray D’Arcy, Dustin, Zig and Zag headed away for a cultural escape to new territory where they reported back to Ireland about various parts of Russian history while the team took in the sites.

The Den has had many familiar faces appear on the show throughout the years. In 1990, President Mary Robinson appeared alongside Ray D’Arcy, Zig, Zag and Dustin for a traditionally chaotic interview. Robinson didn’t fear getting in on the fun as she responded with a fine selection of sharp and witty answers to the characters questions, one of which was “how much money do you have?” and another where Dustin claims she has smelly feet! 

The Den has returned rowdier than ever with a fine selection of skits and guests in 2020, including Stephen Fry, rising Irish pop sensation CMAT, Ronan Keating and Dara Ó Briain. Just a few weeks after releasing her Record Store Day exclusive new single 11 Past The Hour, Imelda May is set to feature on The Den on Sunday 22 November! 

In June 2020, Niall Horan first appeared on The Den Does Comic Relief where he was interviewed by Ray, Dustin, Zig and Zag before performing for the crew. In true manic fashion, Niall was cut short as Dustin exclaims “We thought we were getting Harry Styles!”.