Last night marked the season finale on one of the show’s most popular and well-received runs to date, but there are big changes ahead for hit RTÉ comedy show Republic of Telly. 

Host Dermot Whelan took to Twitter this afternoon to announce that he would no longer be fronting the show.

Speaking to his followers, (some 25,000+), the Limerick man said;

“Thank you to all who watched the Republic of Telly over the last few years. I had such a ball but I'm leaving the show. #nomorejokesleft : )”

The first series of the show, which premiered in 2009, was fronted by Neil Delamere, but it has been Whelan at the helm since October 2010. Bernard O'Shea and Jennifer Maguire are Whelan's current co-hosts.

The comedy programme is responsible for hit viral videos like ‘Things you Could Say In The 80’s’ and ‘Orchestra Hidden Camera Prank’, and also brought the world its first look at The Rubberbandits phenomenally successful comedy single ‘Horse Outside’, as well as ‘Everybody’s Drinkin’ and other tunes from Damo and Ivor.

RTÉ have yet to confirm whether the show will continue without Whelan, who co-hosts an afternoon drivetime show on Dublin’s 98fm every weekday. Whelan is also scheduled to appear at this year’s Kilkenny Cat Laughs Festival.