Marty Morrissey: I used my worst chat-up line ever on Cindy Crawford
He has a reputation for being a charmer, but Marty Morrissey has admitted his moves didn't work when he tried to chat up supermodel Cindy Crawford.
The popular commentator (56) came face-to-face with the statuesque brunette while he reported for RTE at the Olympics in Athens back in 2004.
Despite his best efforts, Marty failed to woo the American beauty with what he described as his "worst chat-up line ever".
"I spotted Cindy Crawford a couple of metres away. I shouted, 'Cindy, Cindy, Marty Morrissey, Irish television'," the presenter explained.
"I didn't think she would've heard of RTE so I continued, 'We're from Ireland', and she turns and purrs 'Oh hi, I love Ireland', and kept going.
"It was the worst chat-up line I ever had, I never used it again."
While they didn't quite hit it off, it seems Cindy and the Clare man have a lot in common when it comes to their fondness for the US.
Marty was born in Cork, but he moved Stateside with his parents and lived there until he was 11 years old. Although he has lived on Irish shores for over four decades since then, the RTE star still has a soft spot for the country.
"I like America, I always go to New York - back home," he said.
"I loved it, I went to school there."
Even when he's away from Irish shores, Marty admitted he often gets recognised by fans.
"I was walking down Waikiki beach in Hawaii a couple of years ago and I saw the blue and gold of the Tipp strip, and the next thing you hear is 'Marty, how's it going?'," he revealed.
The presenter is currently fronting RTE's new GAA radio show The Marty Squad after a stint filling in for Derek Mooney earlier this year - Marty admitted he loved working on the afternoon slot before Ray D'Arcy eventually took over.
"I consider broadcasting a privilege," Marty told TV Now magazine.
"Management gave the show to me for a month. I really appreciated that, it was my own thing, we had a great team and great fun," he recalled.
Recently, Marty, who is in a long-term relationship with Cork woman Liz Kidney, played down his lothario image.
Crush
Despite his failed attempt to woo Cindy Crawford and revealing he has a crush on Irish model Georgia Salpa, the sports presenter insisted his reputation is down to his fun-loving personality.
"Look, I love a bit of fun, having a bit of craic," Marty revealed.
"I've never met Georgia Salpa and I only saw the back of Cindy. I wouldn't consider myself a ladies' man, far from it," he laughed.