In a masterclass of radio mischief, Ireland’s Classic Hits Radio breakfast presenters Colm Hayes and Lucy Kennedy were left reeling this morning after discovering they were the victims of an elaborate, station-wide April Fools' prank involving a fake contestant and a "jackpot" winner that never existed.
The ruse centered around the station's flagship competition, "What Did Lucy Kennedy Say to Colm Hayes?", which has reached a massive cash prize of €26,750. The tension was amplified by the fact that the station had supposedly been put into "lockdown" following a near-perfect guess from a caller the previous day.
The prank centered on a caller identified as "Sandra Prender," who claimed she hadn't had "one wink of sleep all night long" in anticipation of the final question. Sandra came onto the show LIVE this morning and quickly won over the hosts with her eccentric plans for the winnings.
"First thing I’m gonna buy... I’m gonna buy a horse," Sandra told the hosts, citing rising costs at the pump. "Well, fuel prices, you know what I mean? It makes sense". An enamored Lucy Kennedy responded, "I love you, we should be friends in real life... That is exactly what I would buy, except for the horse".
The moment of truth arrived when Colm Hayes asked the definitive question: "What did Lucy Kennedy say to Colm Hayes?". After a theatrical deep breath, Sandra delivered the answer: "How many times did you play that song?".
Instead of a victory fanfare, the studio erupted into shouts of "April Fools!". As the hosts sat in stunned silence, the production team revealed that "Sandra" was actually the mother of the station's Assistant Program Director, Nicky Manley.
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The scale of the betrayal became clear as the hosts realized the entire station was in on the joke. "Producer Jeremy, Nicky, Dave the PD, Kevin the CEO and even Clint our consultant in Australia: all of you! I cannot believe you did this to us," Lucy exclaimed. "The whole station has us done!".
A shell-shocked Colm Hayes, who noted he had "never been April Fooled" in his life, jokingly suggested the only path forward was a dual resignation. "Hey, you and me? We’re gonna resign!".
Despite the heartbreak of the "missing" horse, the real competition for the €26,750 remains open to the public. Although the caller was a fake, the life-changing jackpot is very much real and remains up for grabs as the competition continues.
LISTEN TO IRELAND’S CLASSIC HITS RADIO LIVE TO PLAY "WHAT DID LUCY KENNEDY SAY TO COLM HAYES?" AND SEE IF YOU CAN CLAIM THE €26,750 PRIZE!
