Hector Ó hEochagáin
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Shane Hector Ó hEochagáin [IPA: o: ho:xaganʲ], commonly called simply Hector, is a popular Irish television presenter from Navan, Co. Meath, Republic of Ireland.
Hector attended St. Patrick's Classical School in Navan at the same time as Tommy Tiernan and Dylan Moran. He first came to the attention of Irish viewers with his travelogue programme Amú on TG4, the Irish language TV station. His informal, candid, and irreverent style won him legions of fans.
He was soon discovered by the RTÉ and hosted two programmes: Only Fools Buy Horses, which took a satirical look at the world of race-horse ownership; and Hanging With Hector, which featured Hector spending time with celebrities and speaking to them in both Irish and English. One famous episode featured Hector spending a day with Taoiseach Bertie Ahern.
Pre-fame Hector worked as a mechanical effects assistant working on films such as "The Haunting of Hell House" and "Knocking On Death's Door". He has also appeared in ads for Paddy Whiskey and Horse Racing Ireland.
In 2005 Hector returned to TG4 to record the new series Hector san Afraic (Hector in Africa), and in November, fronted "Chasing The Lions", a TV3 documentary featuring Après Match star Risteárd Cooper that saw both men follow the British and Irish Lions rugby team on their tour of New Zealand.
Hector has advertised Paddy's Whiskey and horse racing, coming under a little criticism for promoting two of Ireland's most worrying vices. His Hanging With Hector series included a meeting with Tommy Tiernan, where Tiernan repeatedly requested that Hector "shut up", and asked him to "stop invading my aura".
Recently on the Podge & Rodge Show, he admitted his real first name is Shane, and denied the rumour that Ray Winstone once found him naked in a hotel lobby. He also had the book he was promoting, Hector's World, blown up by fireworks.
