Journalist and broadcaster Brendan O’Connor joined George in studio on the Right Hook today.

They discussed everything from being reprimanded by the “thought police” on Twitter for speaking your mind, to his feelings on the cancellation of his Saturday Night Show on RTE television. You can listen back to the full interview here:

On George’s recent interview with Colette Fitzpatrick Brenday says that “there was a bit of fault on both sides probably”. He was referring to George taking umbrage with Colette Fitzpatrick's line of questioning on the Late Review on TV3 last week.

Brendan criticized Irish Times columnist Una Mullally’s assessment of the interview saying she “basically diminished you because you didn't have the correct set of opinions and we are rapidly moving towards that, because people are afraid, and they are afraid of the twitterati. She rewarded Colette Fitzpatrick purely because Colette Fitzpatrick had the correct opinions . He says George was criticised because “what it comes down to is there is a set of prescribed opinions and if you don't have them you are wrong”.

He says he is concerned that Irish media is dividing into two polar opposite camps, with one side of the media broadcasting very conservative “Catholic Ireland” views, and other part broadcasting very liberal views that assume “that all right minded people have certain opinions”, and "anyone who doesn’t have them is not someone who disagrees, what they are is a ‘nutter’ or a ‘dinosaur’.”

On the growing influence of social media in the media he says; “I think the odd crank has far too much power now. I am not saying everyone on Twitter is a crank but I do think the people who are on Twitter tend to be of a particular mindset and I think what it is leading to is a media that is rapidly getting completely out of touch with most of their audience.”

Brendan has hosted the television chat show The Saturday Night Show on RTE for the past five years until the series was cancelled earlier this year. It will be replaced by a new chat show hosted by Ray D'Arcy. When asked by George if he was “a bit upset” by being dropped Brendan said he was angry “for a minute” but then “you move on”. He says ultimately the worst thing about the show being cancelled is the sympathy. “Everyone feels sorry for me and it is embarrassing”.

Brendan said on reflection he is glad to have his weekends back as he can now spend more time with his family as opposed to being “totally absent on a Saturday”.

He says its also nice to be “out of the game” and to be able to sit back and “watch the two boys [Ryan Tubridy and Ray D’arcy] tear each other apart.” “The chat show game in Ireland is largely a blood sport. People are watching for the car crash, for when you make a cock up, they love that, and you are getting paid enough. It is a ritual humiliation and with the two lads now there'll be a sense of competition.”

Brendan starts a new midweek programme on RTE television in the spring of 2016, he says he is really looking forward to it as it is more tailored to his personality than The Saturday Night Show. “They way I look at it now is a Saturday night entertainment show curtailed me from truly being myself”.