It’s the Toy Show riddle driving everyone potty!
A book, movie and musical NOT from 1960s
IT’S a book, a musical and a movie, but it’s not from the Sixties – can you guess this year’s Late Late Toy Show theme?
Host Ryan Tubridy has so far remained tight-lipped on the festive extravaganza this Friday night, but is now dropping subtle hints about his opening sequence.
The past two years have seen the father of two kick off the annual Christmas programme by singing and dancing to Mary Poppins and Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, and it’s looking like this time around he’s decided to keep things a little more modern.
‘It’s a recent take on an old story,’ Tubridy, 42, said. ‘I can tell you that it will be a musical, from a book at one point and a movie as well that may or may not be live action or animated.’
As Tubridy insisted his inspiration did not come from a Sixties hit, potential productions for the 2015 show i nclude Roald Dahl’s best- known book Charlie And The Chocolate Factory, which was adapted for Hollywood in 1971, featuring Gene Wilder as Willy Wonka, or the Broadway and silver screen hit Annie.
Annie was released in 1982 in cinemas and is based on the 1924 comic strip Little Orphan Annie by Harold Gray. ‘It will be something familiar to everyone watching and will not be as old as the previous couple of years but it is an old story,’ Tubs said. ‘ I think that it is bright and classic... All I will say is that I think book l overs will be excited.’
There will be plenty of choreography this year too, with Tubridy taking in hours of dance lessons this week in preparation. He will perform alongside some 100 children during the course of the three hours. Tubridy has also con- firmed he will stick with tradition and wear a Christmas jumper – although this time with a twist. ‘There is one in particular that has caught my eye that involves a little bit of modern technology and a regular wool jumper,’ he said.
Meanwhile, TV3 Toy Show which aired last Friday and was hosted by former Rose of Tralee Maria Walsh with Brian Ormond, was watched by an average 264,000 people – 208,100 fewer than last year. The broadcaster insisted it was ‘delighted’ with the figures. A TV3 spokesman told the Irish Daily Mail: ‘Maria and Brian were a wonderful warm double act and the kids had an absolute blast. We’re already looking forward to next year.’