The TV presenter and content creator is one of Ireland’s most high profile personalities right now, but says his success wouldn’t be possible without the support of his family
Eric Roberts at the reopening of The Black Door in Harcourt Street, Dublin.
Picture Brian McEvoy
Eric Roberts is one Ireland’s most talked about TV stars at the moment.
Having become a TikTok sensation post-Covid, the content creator has made the move to television in recent years as his popularity soars.
While his social media presence is still very much active, these days viewers can see Eric presenting on Ireland AM and learning how to dance on Dancing With The Stars.
But Eric says his thriving career wouldn’t be possible without the backing of his supportive family.
The Donegal man is married to wife Niamh and together they share young son Rían
Supportive wife Niamh
Eric married his longtime love Niamh, who works as a teacher, in 2023, following a romantic proposal while on holiday in Santorini.
“I didn’t think I would be nervous, but it was absolutely terrifying. I had the ring on me for three months and it was all planned out,” Eric told RSVP Magazine at the time of the engagement.
“We went to Santorini and chartered a boat. I proposed to her in front of these volcanic waters. It was extremely romantic.
“I had what I wanted to say mapped out in my head, but I went blank. I got down on one knee and said, ‘uh, uh’.
“She just said yes! It was a lovely sentiment, but looking back I probably could have prepared more for what I would say.
“We knew we wanted to get married for a long time, the proposal was probably overdue but I’m proud of how it went.”
A year after the proposal, the couple said I do surrounded by family and friends in a Donegal wedding where hit Irish band Chasing Abbey performed.
Welcoming son Rían
Eric and Niamh became first time parents to son Rían on New Year’s Day, 2025.
The TV presenter admitted that he felt “useless” as a father for the first couple of months of Rían’s life as he praised Niamh for doing the heavy lifting.
Eric told the Irish Independent: “You feel useless in the first four or five months as a father almost. He was breastfeeding, and she was incredible the whole way throughout.
“And there’s only so much you can do, other than changing nappies or just trying to be supportive. But now that he’s getting older, I feel so much more involved.”
A lot of Eric’s work revolves around social media but he won’t be featuring Rían heavily online.
“I was never going to be one of those parenting TikTokers who shares 24/7,” he told Magazine+.
“We post him once or twice a month in a photo dump, it’s never going to be fully focused on him.
“And I’d say after a year, we probably will do that even less and less when he becomes more recognisable, but that’s just our own personal choice – everyone’s different.”
Dream home in Donegal
Eric, who hosts the weekend edition of Ireland AM with Martin King and Elaine Crowley and travels regularly for work, is currently based in Dublin with Niamh and Rían.
Eric told RSVP Magazine: “We moved the family down because a lot of my filming happens here during the week anyway. It made sense to move here.
“A lot of my wife Niamh’s friends are from Dublin as well, so it was an easy move. It was a harder transition for me leaving my family and friends behind.”
However, the plan is to move in once it’s ready and the family are “excited” to live in their native county.
“When the house is ready we’ll probably make the move back up, so I’m excited to get home,” he told Magazine+.
“[Niamh] has been so incredibly supportive, and she’s doing amazing with Rían. I’m so lucky to have her there.
“They uprooted their whole lives to come up to Dublin with me to chase the showbiz dream, so I’m very grateful.”
Bond with nephew Oisin
Anyone who follows Eric will know he is extremely close to his nephew Oisin, who has cerebral palsy and autism.
Oisin may be familiar with followers of the TikTok star, who previously worked as an SNA, as he frequently appears in his videos.
“Oisin was born prematurely. It wasn’t until later on we found he was autistic and has cerebral palsy, but he is an absolute warrior,” Eric told RSVP Live last year.
“He has gone through more than what anyone would hope to go through in their lifetime but he has come out the other end.
“He’s a huge part of my life, he’s just amazing. We have our sleepover clubs once a week.
“Your problems feel a lot smaller when you’re with him, because the most minute things bring him such joy – which in turn brings us so much joy.
“I was quite hesitant to post him initially because the online world can be such a scary place but the response was incredible.
“There are so many other families in similar situations. He’s a bit of a celebrity now since he’s featured in my videos!”
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