RYAN Tubridy’s fiancée Clare Kambamettu has opened up about his romantic proposal and revealed it came as “a big shock”.
The Dublin native got down on one knee and popped the question during a beautiful getaway in the west of Ireland earlier this month.
Ryan first confirmed his relationship with former Rose of Tralee Clare with The Irish Sun for his first print interview since the RTE payments controversy broke in 2023.
The pair have since kept the inner details of their love under wraps and while Ryan hadn’t planned on revealing the news just yet, he was forced to come clean after a jewellers let it slip that he had visited their store.
Now Clare has opened up about the big moment and revealed just how unexpected it really was.
She told the Rose of Tralee podcast: “I was completely surprised. I actually didn’t pick up on his nervousness at all, and it was a big shock.
“Without saying too much, he had told me that he was going down to find out about how we would hire bikes when he was actually going to collect my engagement ring.
“I just thought nothing of it. I was like, ‘Grand, thanks for doing that’.
“So I don’t know if I would have been more or less shocked to have an electric bike turn up in the hotel room.”
Clare also praised the broadcaster’s choice of engagement ring and admitted she’s a “little bit obsessed”.
She said: “He did so well in choosing it with the help of O’Dalaigh Jewellers in Clifden, they were just so fab.
“I’m a little bit obsessed with my engagement ring. I catch myself looking at it at odd times and going, ‘Oh my God, it’s gorgeous’.”
Ryan has often spoken about his love for the West Coast of Ireland and this proposal showed just how much the area means to the pair.
Clare added: “It’s a really special part of the world that Ryan and I are so attached to.
“So it was really special that it happened down there.”
When Ryan told his Virgin Radio UK listeners about the news earlier this month, he said: “I have a little bit of news that I was kind of keeping a little bit to myself – to ourselves.
“Even though I’m a public person doing the job I do, I also have quite a lot of privacy that I like to keep to myself.
“However, the cat has been removed from the bag for a number of reasons and I’m very, very, very happy to confirm that I did indeed get engaged to my partner Clare on Thursday evening in the West of Ireland.”
Speaking about his longterm love, Tubs previously told The Irish Sun: “She has brought an awful lot of joy into my life and happiness and support.
“I don’t want to talk too much about her, because my private life has always stayed private.
“But I think anyone who has met or knows Clare will know exactly why we are seeing each other. I feel very lucky.”
Asked at the time if the clinical psychologist, who he first interviewed on his RTE Radio One show in March 2023, had been a major support during the last six months. Tubs replied: “Remarkably so.”