Keith Cunningham
Keith Cunningham or "K.C." (born 30 October 1977) is an Irish radio presenter, producer and radio programmer.
After spending a number of years with Today FM in Dublin, and commuting each week, he left the station to return home to his family in Cork. After spending some time at Cork's Red FM, as of July 2019, Cunningham was presenter of "KC & Ross in the Morning" (previously "The KC Show" from 2017-2019) on Cork's 96FM.[1]
Early career
Cunningham started his radio career with garden shed pirate giant Kiss FM in 1992 and 1993.
He studied broadcasting and journalism in Dublin for two years before returning to Castlebar to launch Mayo's first 24-hour pirate station, Power FM.
Following roles at with local radio stations MWR FM and Galway Bay FM, he joined Dublin's FM 104 in 2000 as their weekend breakfast show presenter. He remained at FM 104 until he transferred to the newly opened Cork's RedFM.
Cork career
Cunningham started at Cork's Red FM presenting DYP OFF, a four-hour dance music show. At that time he was also in-house producing the Irish edition of Pete Tongs essential selection from the BBC and Roger Sanchez international show Release yourself, both of which aired on RedFM on Friday nights. In 2004, Cunningham moved to Red Drive from 5-7 pm weekdays and continued to present dance show formats. He appeared in the radio industry Xtrax magazine in their "one to watch" feature, and was positioned in the Xtrax Awards "Irish radio presenter of the year top 5" in 2004, 2005 and 2007. The Sunday Business Post published a digital audio production's top ten radio talent index in 2005, in which Cunningham was positioned at number two after RTÉ's Ryan Tubridy.
In 2005, after the departure of Charlie Wolfe, Cunningham took over The Red Rooster Breakfast Show on Red FM, initially presenting the show on his own. He then teamed up with co-host Viv Crowley, then Steven Cooper (ex-FM104, Atlantic 252), and later Mark Linehan (Lenny from Blarney). From 2007 until the end of the show in 2010, the KC & Lenny formula brought The Red Rooster Breakfast Show to the number 1 rated breakfast show in Cork for under 35s. The show also won several PPI radio awards, winning "best breakfast show" in Ireland for 2008 and 2009.[2] Cunningham also won "music broadcaster of the year" in 2007 and the PPI award for "best on air promotion".
Cunningham moved to Corks 96 FM for several years. However, Cunningham announced he would return to Cork's Red FM as part of an overhaul of the radio station which saw Neil Prendeville leave that station. Cunningham rejoined Cork's Red FM in 2014 to present The KC Show alongside Jason Coughlan.[3]
Cunningham later left Red FM and returned to 96 FM, and has presented The KC Show (now KC & Ross in the Morning) since 2017.[4]