Holden steps down as Virgin Media Television head of sport

Kieran Holden, head of sport at Irish broadcaster Virgin Media Television, has left his position.

Holden steps down after a total of 13 years at both Virgin Media Television and TV3, the Irish free-to-air commercial broadcaster taken over by Virgin Media at the end of 2015.

He was previously the head of sport and sports editor at TV3, having joined the broadcaster in 2007 from his role as news producer at Sky News. TV3 was renamed Virgin Media One in August 2018.

Mick McCaffrey, who became TV3’s head of news at the start of 2017, has taken on the additional sports responsibilities vacated by Holden. McCaffrey recently took on the title of head of news and sport at Virgin Media Television.

During his time at the broadcaster, Holden produced TV3’s coverage of the Uefa Champions League and oversaw the launch of the Virgin Media Sport pay-television channel in 2018.

Virgin Media Ireland last month named Paul Farrell, Virgin Media’s vice-president of commercial, as managing director of Virgin Media Television. He replaces Pat Kiely, who will step down as managing director next month.

Along with the Champions League and Uefa Europa League, Virgin Media Television also holds rights to rugby union’s Six Nations Championship, European rugby union’s Champions Cup and Challenge Cup, plus motoracing’s Formula E.