RTÉ presenter Ryan Tubridy calls McDonald’s ‘McFilth’ live on air

The radio and TV host made the comment about the fast-food chain while discussing singer Mariah Carey who he said, “felt that she owned the trademark for the expression ‘all I want for Christmas is you’.”

Mr Tubridy argued that the festive lyric is an “array of words” and no one could own “all of that”, adding: “Like, if you say ‘I’m lovin’ it, I go ‘okay well that’s McFilth, so I know what that is’, or McDonald’s. Sorry, I call it that for a joke, I love a Big Mac.”

He immediately rowed back on his remark, claiming that he has nicknames for various similar restaurants and that was speaking “in jest”.

“I say it because I feel guilty when I ever have it… Okay ah, it’s like Eddie Rockets, Sir Edward's. Like, I have nicknames for all these things. Oh no, okay, alright, oh dear, okay,” he said.

“Well, that’s the way it is, isn’t it? Okay, Mariah Carey lost that case, I’m probably going to lose a case too. As I say, it’s jest. Alright, alright, alright, alright; that story is not as interesting as I had hoped, that’s my fault,” he added.

In a statement, a spokesperson for RTÉ said: “Listeners will of course understand this comment was in jest - as Ryan has already stated he loves a Big Mac."

Independent.ie has contacted McDonald’s for comment.

According to the most recent Joint National Listenership Research (JNLR) figures, which were released last week, the Ryan Tubridy Show has 344,000 daily listeners, however, that’s down 25,000 since August.