Twink RTE row latest twist as Montrose chiefs reach out & say ‘no ban’ after ‘hurt’ star’s explosive rejection claim

In the bombshell interview, Twink claimed she ‘kept The Late Late Show alive’ and can’t understand why she isn’t being asked on now
PANTO icon Twink’s claims she’s banned from RTE are a fairy tale, the station insisted today.

The entertainer, real name Adele King, had accused the “idiots” at Montrose of snubbing her in an explosive interview.

Station insiders revealed RTE top brass have since reached out to clear the air and invited the 74-year-old star to meet with them.

Twink had suggested the State broadcaster harboured a grudge against her in the interview at the weekend.

She wept as she told how a plea to Director General Kevin Bakhurst with a view to appearing on The Late Late Show, hosted by Patrick Kielty, went ­unanswered, saying she had been left “very hurt” by the rejection.

She told the Sunday ­Independent: “I didn’t even get a phone call back.
“Am I hurt? Oh, yes, I’m hurt. Am I angry? No, I’m hurt. I am so hurt.”

But The Irish Sun can reveal RTE have no ‘Twink ban’ in place and ­contact has been made since the interview was published.

An RTE spokeswoman told us: “There is no ban on Adele King appearing on The Late Late Show.”

The station said Twink was on as a guest on Miriam O’Callaghan’s RTE Radio One show on October 19.

She’s also set to feature in an ­edition of Nationwide on Christmas week, with the station rep telling us: “We can’t have the same guests appearing on all our shows.”

In the bombshell interview, Twink claimed she “kept The Late Late Show alive” and can’t understand why she isn’t being asked on now.

She said: “I was the only woman they had on who could be funny, sing and dance. Why not now at Christmas with supposedly the ­country’s Queen of the Panto coming out of retirement to play the Queen of the Fairies in Cinderella at Dublin’s National Stadium?”

‘NOBODY UNDERSTANDS IT’

Telling how she’d been besieged by fans begging for her TV return, Twink added: “I don’t understand why I am not on The Late Late. Nobody understands it.

“It could not be a personal gripe as Kevin Bakhurst does not know me. The Late Late Show is so repetitive because our talent pool is so small. So, if it is a grudge, it is against themselves, the ­idiots. What about the people who are paying the licence?”

In response, a source said the RTE boss does not get involved with show editorial decisions but would be ­willing to have a meeting with the showbiz legend.

It comes as the former musical director of the Late Late Show, Frank McNamara, praised Twink’s previous appearances on the show.

He told us: “The Late Late Show always had Twink on because she always delivered.

“I’d describe Twink as an extremely gifted entertainer with an amazing presence.”

• Cinderella, running from December 9, will feature Twink in a unique way incorporating ­pre-recorded footage, enhanced with AI tech. Get tickets at Panto.ie.