Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
BRING ON THE
Every year it seems like the Late, Late Toy Show gets bigger and better – and so does its audience size! 2019 set a new record for Ryan Tubridy’s anarchic toyfest, with a staggering 1.54 million viewers, making it the most-watched show of the year.
This year, of course, will be slightly different – although time will tell exactly how different.
After it looked like the Covid crisis was going to see the show called off completely earlier in the year, Tubs assured the public that it would be going ahead, one way or another.
Details are, as ever with the Toy Show, few and far between but we’ve had a few hints over the past couple of months, beginning with a call for auditions in August – a full month earlier than usual. On the announcement, Tubridy said, “If you’re a child and think ‘I can sing, I can dance, I can do mimicry, I can do magic, I am the chosen one in the entertainment world!’ then get in touch.”
Adding, “You just have to be talented, smart, funny, a bit of craic. You can be introverted, extroverted, upstairs, downstairs, inside, outside it doesn’t matter all you have to do is be a child.”
Applications were open internationally, to give people who aren’t able to come home for Christmas the chance to take part. Thousands of entries came in from across the globe, with people as far away as Japan, New Zealand and Bermuda wanting to be involved.
The show’s assistant producer Kate Olohan (inset) said: “We have been overwhelmed with the sta n d a rd of e n t r i es coming in from around the world. It’s great to see how far the Toy Show roots have spread.
“There is something extra special about watching an audition from the beaches of Australia or the under the city lights of New York, it really proves that wherever we are, we are all connected!”
While there’ll be no audience allowed in the studio, October saw the show opening up applications for members of the public to become ‘virtual audience members’.
Calling out for applicants to take part as a virtual audience this year, RTE said: “To do this we need your help.
“Even though you cannot be with us in the studio this year, we want you to be part of a virtual audience to bring some of your family magic to my favourite night of the year.”
Applications closed in October, so if you applied in time who knows? Y o u might be one of the lucky ones with a golden ticket for tonight’s show”.
As for the theme, Tubs has been dropping hints on his radio show and people have been guessing eve r y t h i n g from a Minions theme to Wizard of Oz.
Whatever it’s going to look like, we know one thing for sure – it’s going to be EPIC.
The Late Late Toy Show will air on RTE One and stream worldwide on RTE Player tonight at
9.35pm.