Kennedy grew up in Sandycove, Dublin, the middle child of three girls. Her father is John Kennedy who would later feature alongside his daughter as her pianist on The Lucy Kennedy Show. Lucy attended Holy Child Killiney secondary school. Kennedy's first career was as a flight attendant with Cityjet, followed by a course in television presenting and production. In 2002, she worked as a contestant researcher for an Irish version of The Weakest Link. She later worked as production assistant on An Tuath Nua and production co-ordinator on A Scare at Bedtime and briefly worked in sales for SPIN 1038.
Television presenter
Kennedy began presenting two series of The Ex-Files in 2004 and was approached to co-host The Podge and Rodge Show in February 2006. She described the duo as "like the older brothers I never had" but left the show after three series. In 2007, Kennedy made numerous television appearances on other shows such as No Frontiers and People in Need Telethon, as well as winning the TV Now Award for Female Personality of the Year. The same year she starred in Debbie does Dallas 21. In April – May 2008, Kennedy featured in her own show, Livin' with Lucy, the premise of which she shared a house with celebrities such as Brian McFadden and Calum Best for a weekend. The show aired on RTÉ2 on Monday nights. During the show she was hunted by the paparazzi and the press when she stayed with the British reality-television personality Jade Goody. Kennedy encountered controversy whilst staying with Samantha Mumba when Mumba launched a verbal attack on Irish radio presenter Dave Fanning using expletives. Kennedy presented The Ian Dempsey Breakfast Show when regular host Ian Dempsey was absent on 18 July 2008. Kennedy was subject to speculation that she would take over the role of host of travel series No Frontiers from Kathryn Thomas but this did not come to pass. Her chat show, The Lucy Kennedy Show, an inhouse RTÉ production, began on 6 January 2009. Her father John was her pianist on the show. She co-presented Charity Lords of the Ring alongside Barry McGuigan in August 2009. After this she took maternity leave. She began filming the third series of Livin' with Lucy in July 2010. Kennedy signed a contract with TV3 and will co-host a new daytime programme 'Late Lunch Live' to rival RTÉ's 'Today' alongside weatherman Martin King. The Show replaces 'The Morning Show'. It subsequently became 'The Seven O'Clock Show' and now airs as 'The Six O'Clock Show'. In 2018, Lucy Kennedy hosted the long-awaited arrival Ireland's Got Talent. On the judging panel was Louis Walsh, Michelle Visage, Denise Van Outen and Jason Byrne.
Radio presenter
Kennedy had a "recent stint" in RTÉ 2fm with Bazil Ashmawy. On 7 May 2010, it was announced she would co-present with Colm Hayes for one month the 9 am – 12 noon slot vacated by the death of Gerry Ryan. However, she was not given the job permanently stating that she did not have the necessary experience for it. She did Weekend Breakfast with Baz & Lucy. This is a "less visible" role in the organisation that is RTÉ. On April 18, 2018, Lucy co-hosted the first edition of a new breakfast show on Radio Nova 100FM with Colm Hayes, called The Colm and Lucy Breakfast Show. Some months prior to this launch, they had presented a one-off show on Radio Nova 100FM.
Personal life
Kennedy is married to Richard Governey; the couple have three children, two daughters and a son. She models her mother/career-oriented lifestyle on that of Miriam O'Callaghan.
Awards
Kennedy won Favourite Female TV Presenter at the 2009 TV Now Awards.
