Daredevil Baz wants to dive into more TV and put radio on the back burner

Baz Ashmawy

Laura Butler

He's had plenty of experience on the airwaves, but presenter Baz Ashmawy has decided to steer away from radio and concentrate on the small screen.

The former 2fm star, who previously anchored a weekend programme with pal Lucy Kennedy before it was axed, revealed to the Diary that with such positive reaction to his Sky TV series 50 Ways To Kill Your Mammy, he's hanging up his microphone for the foreseeable future.

"At the moment, I'm so into telly and it's exciting for something to come out of your head and do well - there is a real kick from that and there is a real kick from seeing my mum bouncing around and it feels good.

"I'd like to do more of that," he said.

Baz Ashmawy and his mammy, Nancy Ashmawy

The half-Egyptian broadcaster is the producer on the TV show and admitted that even though he has enjoyed projects on RTE, he went straight to Sky instead of pitching the idea in Ireland.

"If you're going to do a show like this, a lot goes into it - it's not cheap to make," he said.

"They treated my mum very well and they flew her first-class around the world; she stayed in the best places. A lot goes into it and I'd been in chats with Sky and they got me excited about telly again."

And 39-year-old Baz said that he has no projects in the pipeline with the national broadcaster.

"I haven't really heard from RTE and it is not because I don't want to talk to them or they don't want to talk to me but just we haven't conversed," he said, speaking at the justeat.ie launch The Eaties - an online takeaway awards.

"I love what I do and I just want to make telly that people just love and laugh at and feel something from.

"I got to make it myself and I want to keep on making stuff but I won't just do anything.

"I'll only do what I want to make and think fits into that category," he added.

Baz, who lives in Rathmines with his other half Tanya and their kids, said getting to have full say over what went into the show was a top priority.

"Sky just gave me carte blanche to do what I wanted and believed in what I was trying to sell them," he said.

With things in the ratings stakes looking strong, the Dubliner admitted he's keen to make a second series.

"Yeah we would be up for it, probably.

"I really enjoyed it and I know mum is up for it but if I do it I want to do it as good or better - you want to keep that feeling to it.

"The ratings are good, but it is another year on the road so I don't know," he said.