{{Outdated as of|2022}} {{Use dmy dates|date=May 2015}} {{Use Irish English|date=May 2015}} {{Infobox radio show | name = Chris and Ciara | image = File:Chris and Ciara.jpeg | image_size = | alt = | caption = The [[iTunes]] cover art of ''Chris and Ciara'' | other_names = ''Bottom of the Barrel'' | format = Talk and music | runtime = 2 hours | start_time = 11:00 | end_time = 13:00 | runtime_note = | country = [[Republic of Ireland]] | language = English | home_station = [[RTÉ 2fm]] | presenter = [[Chris Greene (broadcaster)|Chris Greene]]<br />Ciara King | announcer = | director = | senior_editor = | editor = | producer = Zbyszek Zalinski | rec_location = [[RTÉ Radio Centre]] | first_aired = {{Start date|2014|03|02|df=y}} | last_aired = <!-- {{End date|YYYY|MM|DD|df=y}} --> | opentheme = "[[Talk Like That]]"<br />by [[The Presets]] | endtheme = "[[Amhrán na bhFiann]]" | website = {{URL|http://2fm.rte.ie/2fm-shows/chris-and-ciara/|RTÉ 2fm homepage}} }}

'''''Chris and Ciara''''', formerly titled '''''Bottom of the Barrel''''', is an Irish radio show on [[RTÉ 2fm]] hosted by [[Chris Greene (broadcaster)|Chris Greene]] and Ciara King. It is broadcast on Saturday and Sunday starting at 11am (previously Sunday-Thursday from 10pm), and consists of [[Contemporary hit radio|contemporary hits]] and [[Comedy radio|comedic]] [[Popular culture|pop culture]]-focused talk segments. The show features film and celebrity news quizzes and a "Rap Off" in which Greene and King compete, as well as interviews and guests such as 2fm's Emma Power and DJ Mo K, Brian M. Lloyd from [[entertainment.ie]], [[Blindboy Boatclub]] of [[The Rubberbandits]], and the self-styled dating expert the Galway Player. King reads from her teenage diary every Wednesday, and the presenters often read [[Short Message Service|text messages]] and [[Twitter|tweets]] sent by listeners.

The show was introduced in March 2014 after its presenters left [[iRadio]], as part of a reorganisation of 2fm by the head of the station, Dan Healy. The programme has been praised for its irreverence and the chemistry between its presenters, but also criticised for its gratuitous use of profanity. Its podcasts were selected for [[iTunes]]' Best of 2014 list.

==Format== [[File:Blindboy.jpg|thumb|[[Blindboy Boatclub]] of [[The Rubberbandits]] is featured on the show every Tuesday.]] The show is broadcast from Saturday to Sunday, starting at 11{{nbsp}}am.<ref name="rabbitte">{{cite web|last1=Rabbitte|first1=Eimear|title=2FM defend Tubridy's 'disappointing' stand-ins while he fills in on BBC|url=http://www.independent.ie/entertainment/tv-radio/2fm-defend-tubridys-disappointing-standins-while-he-fills-in-on-bbc-30197312.html|website=[[Irish Independent]]|publisher=[[Independent News & Media]]|accessdate=10 June 2015|date=18 April 2014}}</ref> It lasts two hours (although it previously lasted three before 8 February 2016), and is interspersed with regular music, news and promotional trails. On Sundays, the talk element of the show consists of [[Clip show|clips from previous episodes]]. Regular features from Monday to Thursday include:

*'''The Win Back Your License Fee Quiz''' (Monday and Thursday): A listener must correctly answer ten questions in 60 seconds over the phone – if they are successful, they win back the cost of the [[Television licencing in the Republic of Ireland|Irish television license fee]] (€160). * '''The Rap Off''' (Monday): Chris and Ciara each record a verse from a popular [[Hip hop music|rap song]]; listeners must then vote by [[Short Message Service|text]] and [[Twitter]] to decide whose version was best. * '''Archives with Aifric''' (Monday): 2fm's Aifric O'Connell plays clips from the [[RTÉ Libraries and Archives]]. * '''There I Said It''' (Monday): Chris and Ciara read out listeners' embarrassing or offensive views or admissions, and sometimes give their own. * '''The Fake Celebrity News Quiz''' (Tuesday): 2fm's Emma Power gives the presenters four pieces of information about celebrities, one of which she has invented. Chris and Ciara each pick the story they think is false; if one of them chooses correctly, he or she wins; otherwise Emma wins. * '''Top 5 in other countries''' (some Tuesdays): Tired of the monotony of Western music, Chris and Ciara listen to the [[Record chart|top 5 songs]] in countries such as [[J-pop|Japan]], [[Music of Nigeria|Nigeria]] and [[Music of Tamil Nadu#Film music|southern India]]. * '''Blindboy Boatclub''' (Tuesday): Chris and Ciara speak to Blindboy from the group [[The Rubberbandits]] about various topics. * '''Brian M. Lloyd''' (Wednesday): The presenters are joined by the film editor from [[entertainment.ie]], who discusses recent movies and gives them a Movie Quiz, in which they must identify dialogue or music from films. * '''Ciara's Diary''' (Wednesday): Ciara King reads entries and poems from her teenage diary.<ref name="gribben">{{cite web|last1=Gribben|first1=Fiona|title='Cracked' Chris and Ciara make impression at 2fm|url=http://www.herald.ie/news/cracked-chris-and-ciara-make-impression-at-2fm-30412919.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150611014544/http://www.herald.ie/news/cracked-chris-and-ciara-make-impression-at-2fm-30412919.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=11 June 2015|website=[[The Herald (Ireland)|The Herald]]|publisher=[[Independent News & Media]]|accessdate=27 April 2015|date=8 July 2014}}</ref> * '''Moral Dilemma''' (Wednesday): Chris and Ciara examine an odd legal or moral issue. * '''Jo McNally''' (Thursday): The [[agony aunt]] gives out advice. * '''The Galway Player''' (Thursday): The self-styled male [[dating]] expert from [[Galway]] gives the presenters tips, which often annoy Ciara due to their laddish nature.

===Retired segments=== * '''Michael Murphy''' (formerly Tuesday): The [[Psychoanalysis|psychoanalyst]] comes on to [[Psychoanalytic dream interpretation|interpret the dreams of listeners]]. * '''DJ Mo K''' (formerly Thursday): The 2fm DJ speaks to Chris and Ciara about the world of rap. * '''What Are You Doing Awake?''' (Monday to Thursday): Every show, except on Sundays, used to end with Chris and Ciara reading texts about what the Irish public is doing awake after midnight.

==Background== The presenters met at [[i105-107FM]] – where Greene had worked since 2007, and King since 2008<ref name="martin">{{cite web|last1=Martin|first1=Roy|title=Greene and King leave iRadio night show|url=http://radiotoday.ie/2014/01/greene-and-king-leave-iradio-night-show/|website=Radio Today|accessdate=10 June 2015|date=23 January 2014}}</ref> – when Greene covered for a presenter who was ill for a week.<ref>{{cite web|last1=Notaro|first1=Vicki|title=Watch out for our rising female stars|url=http://www.independent.ie/life/watch-out-for-our-rising-female-stars-31044220.html|website=[[Irish Independent]]|publisher=[[Independent News & Media]]|accessdate=10 June 2015|date=7 March 2015}}</ref> The pair hosted the programme '''''The Third i''''', broadcast on weekdays from 1 to 4&nbsp;pm, and repeated from 1 to 4&nbsp;am – the station's website said ''The Third i'' was "about nothing. Even fans of the show openly admit it is pointless and goes nowhere".<ref>{{cite web|title=Third i with Chris & Ciara, Weekdays 1pm|website=[[i105-107FM]]|publisher=Wilton Radio|accessdate=12 April 2016|url=http://www.i105107.ie/thirdi|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20100322213006/http://www.i105107.ie/thirdi|archivedate=22 March 2010}}</ref> The station merged with its sister station [[i102-104FM]] to form [[iRadio]]; they hosted its programme '''''The Cracked i''''' from 2011.<ref name="martin"/> ''The Cracked i'' was described by the station as "extreme, unpredictable, random radio",<ref>{{cite web|title=iRadio|url=http://www.iradio.ie/|website=[[iRadio]]|accessdate=12 April 2016|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20110714014714/http://www.iradio.ie/|archivedate=14 July 2011}}</ref> and was broadcast between 9:50&nbsp;pm and 12:50&nbsp;pm on weeknights.<ref>{{cite web|title=iRadio – What's on...|url=http://www.iradio.ie/docs/Whats_on_iRadio.pdf|website=[[iRadio]]|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20111005082409/http://www.iradio.ie/docs/Whats_on_iRadio.pdf|archivedate=5 October 2011}}</ref> In April 2013, iRadio founder Dan Healy was appointed the head of RTÉ 2fm,<ref>{{cite web|last1=O'Carroll|first1=Sinead|title=iRadio founder Dan Healy to head RTÉ 2fm|url=http://www.thejournal.ie/dan-healy-2fm-885094-Apr2013/|website=[[TheJournal.ie]]|publisher=Distilled Media|accessdate=12 April 2016|date=25 April 2013}}</ref> a station which had suffered a falling [[Audience measurement|audience share]] since the [[death of Gerry Ryan|death of presenter Gerry Ryan]] in 2010; Healy has said that "When Gerry Ryan passed away, so did 2fm".<ref name="knox">{{cite web|last1=Knox|first1=Kirsty Blake|title=I have to destroy 2fm to return it to glory days, says radio boss|url=http://www.independent.ie/entertainment/tv-radio/i-have-to-destroy-2fm-to-return-it-to-glory-days-says-radio-boss-30121454.html|website=[[Irish Independent]]|publisher=[[Independent News & Media]]|accessdate=10 June 2015|date=25 March 2014}}</ref> According to [[Una Mullally]] of ''[[The Irish Times]]'', 2fm "abandoned its youth audience" by importing presenters who had "passed their prime".<ref name="mullally">{{cite web|last1=Mullally|first1=Una|authorlink1=Una Mullally|title=How's 2fm getting on?|url=http://www.irishtimes.com/blogs/poplife/2014/03/20/hows-2fm-getting-on/|website=[[The Irish Times]]|accessdate=10 June 2015|date=20 March 2014}}</ref> Healy radically changed the station's programming and music, introducing shows such as ''[[Breakfast Republic]]'', ''The Nicky Byrne Show'' and ''The Early, Early Breakfast Show'' with [[Lottie Ryan]].<ref name="knox"/> As part of this reshuffle, Greene and King left iRadio in order to host a late-night show on 2fm,<ref name="gribben"/> although Greene joked that they would be "focusing on a career in pornography".<ref name="martin"/>

==Impact== ===Critical reception=== [[Una Mullally]] of ''[[The Irish Times]]'' described how "''Bottom of the Barrel'' brought me back to some of my favourite radio shows, shows where you felt there was a real connection between both the people in studio and the presenters with their audience", comparing it to [[Sara Cox]] on ''[[The Radio 1 Breakfast Show]]'' and [[Rick O'Shea]]. She said that the show "is making me listen to 2fm again" and that "[Greene and King's] chemistry is fantastic, their references and asides are brilliant [and] their indignant outsiderness is hilarious".<ref name="mullally"/> The ''[[Sunday Independent (Ireland)|Sunday Independent]]''{{'s}} [[Eilis O'Hanlon]] described the programme as "far more entertaining" than ''[[Breakfast Republic]]'', 2fm's breakfast show.<ref>{{cite web|last1=O'Hanlon|first1=Eilis|authorlink1=Eilis O'Hanlon|title=Daytime radio can feel like a 'life' sentence|url=http://www.independent.ie/entertainment/radio/daytime-radio-can-feel-like-a-life-sentence-31118368.html|website=[[Sunday Independent (Ireland)|Sunday Independent]]|publisher=[[Independent News & Media]]|accessdate=10 June 2015|date=5 April 2015}}</ref> Writing for JOE.ie, Joe Harrington described ''Chris and Ciara''{{'s}} podcasts as "weird, clever, current and very funny".<ref>{{cite web|last1=Harrington|first1=Joe|title=15 in '15: 15 excellent podcasts you should listen to while sitting in traffic on the M50|url=http://www.joe.ie/entertainment/15-in-15-15-excellent-podcasts-you-should-listen-to-while-sitting-in-traffic-on-the-m50/486973|website=JOE.ie|publisher=Maximum Media|accessdate=10 June 2015}}</ref>

However, ''[[The Herald (Ireland)|The Herald]]''{{'s}} John Byrne criticised the show's use of profanity, describing it as "a steady stream of boob, knob and masturbation jokes". Comparing it to ''Breakfast Republic'', Byrne said that "''Bottom of the Barrel'' is clearly keen to sell itself as a rude, rambling and anarchic alternative to the polished and 'professional' offerings found on other parts of the dial". He also criticised the presenters' "drearily predictable gender dynamic", saying that "Greene was free to be the wacky and provocative male, while King was frequently relegated to the role of a 'responsible', tut-tutting and disapproving ... female sidekick." Despite this, Byrne noted that the show contained some of the "playfulness and irreverence that Irish radio sorely needs far more of".<ref>{{cite web|last1=Byrne|first1=John|title=Very little of substance in this rude, crude attempt to outrage|url=https://www.independent.ie/regionals/herald/very-little-of-substance-in-this-rude-crude-attempt-to-outrage/30113978.html|website=[[The Herald (Ireland)|The Herald]]|publisher=[[Independent News & Media]]|access-date=10 June 2015|date=21 March 2014}}</ref> When Greene and King stood in for [[Ryan Tubridy]]'s [[Tubridy (radio show)|daytime show]] during his stint at [[BBC Radio 2]], the ''[[Irish Independent]]'' reported that some listeners "were less than impressed" and "have accused the broadcaster of isolating older audiences".<ref name="rabbitte"/>

===Awards=== ''Chris and Ciara''{{'s}} [[podcast]]s were selected for the Best of 2014 list by [[iTunes]], who said "Never taking themselves too seriously, this night time comedy duo can deftly slip from an impromptu rap-off into reciting hilarious teen poetry. We enjoy their talent and ability to capture the buzz of now." Dan Healy described iTunes as "people whose job it is to listen to and recognise great radio" and praised it for allowing Greene and King to reach "an even wider audience".<ref>{{cite web|title=iTunes honour for 2fm's Chris and Ciara|url=http://www.rte.ie/ten/news/2014/1215/666929-chris-and-ciara/|website=RTÉ Ten|publisher=[[Raidió Teilifís Éireann]]|accessdate=11 February 2015|date=15 December 2014}}</ref> The programme won Best Irish Radio Show at [[entertainment.ie]]'s annual Erics Awards on 29 January 2015.<ref>{{cite web|last1=O'Shaughnessy|first1=David|title=Glenn Close, James Gunn and more: All the tweets, photos and winners from The Erics 2015|url=http://entertainment.ie/life/Glenn-Close-James-Gunn-and-more-All-the-tweets-photos-and-winners-from-The-Erics-2015/335107.htm|website=[[entertainment.ie]]|publisher=Entertainment Media Networks|accessdate=10 June 2015|date=30 January 2015}}</ref>

===Ratings=== In April 2015, audience figures showed that ''Chris and Ciara'' had 12,000 daily listeners, an increase of 2000 since the previous quarter.<ref>{{cite web|title=RTÉ Remains the Number 1 Choice for Radio Listeners|url=http://www.rte.ie/about/en/press-office/press-releases/2015/0430/697914-rte-remains-the-number-1-choice-for-radio-listeners/|website=RTÉ About|publisher=[[Raidió Teilifís Éireann]]|accessdate=11 June 2015|type=Press release|date=30 April 2015|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20150613070633/http://www.rte.ie/about/en/press-office/press-releases/2015/0430/697914-rte-remains-the-number-1-choice-for-radio-listeners/|archivedate=13 June 2015}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last1=Kelly|first1=Aoife|title=RTE 2fm celebrating listenership growth across all shows in latest JNLR ratings|url=http://www.independent.ie/entertainment/radio/rte-2fm-celebrating-listenership-growth-across-all-shows-in-latest-jnlr-ratings-31185876.html|website=[[Irish Independent]]|publisher=[[Independent News & Media]]|accessdate=11 June 2015|date=30 April 2015}}</ref> By July 2015, this had increased to 14,000.<ref>{{cite web|title=RTÉ Remains the Number One Choice for Radio Listeners|url=http://www.rte.ie/about/en/press-office/press-releases/2015/0730/718294-rte-remains-the-number-one-choice-for-radio-listeners/|website=RTÉ About|publisher=[[Raidió Teilifís Éireann]]|accessdate=23 September 2015|type=Press release|date=30 July 2015}}</ref>

==References== {{reflist|2}}

==External links== * [http://2fm.rte.ie/2fm-shows/chris-and-ciara/ ''Chris and Ciara''] at [[RTÉ 2fm]] * [https://web.archive.org/web/20150301084015/https://itunes.apple.com/ie/podcast/rte-chris-and-ciara/id842203923?mt=2 ''Chris and Ciara''] on [[iTunes]]

{{2fm}}

[[Category:2014 radio programme debuts]] [[Category:Irish late night radio shows]] [[Category:RTÉ 2fm programmes]] [[Category:Irish music radio programmes]]