The Late Late Show (Irish talk show)

This article is about the Irish late-night talk show. For the American late-night talk show franchise of the same name, see The Late Late Show (American talk show).

The Late Late Show
Also known asThe Late Late[1][2]
Presented by
Theme music composerChris Andrews
Opening theme"To Whom It Concerns" (1960s–1999, 2009–)
Ending theme"The Late Late Show" by Nat King Cole (Gay Byrne era)
Country of originIreland
Original languagesEnglish, Irish
No. of seasons50+
No. of episodesMore than 500 by 1979[3] (list of episodes)
Production
Executive producers
Production locationsStudio 4, RTÉ Television Centre, Donnybrook, Dublin 4
Running time90 minutes
Original release
NetworkRTÉ One
Release6 July 1962 (1962-07-06) –
present
Related
Infobox instructions (only shown in preview)

The Late Late Show, with its title often shortened to The Late Late, is an Irish chat show. It is the world's second longest-running late-night talk show, after the American The Tonight Show, and is the longest-running live talk show.[5] Perceived as the official flagship television programme of RTÉ,[6] it is regarded as an Irish television institution,[7] and is broadcast live across normally two hours in front of a studio audience on Friday nights at 9:30 pm between September and May. Certain segments are sometimes pre-recorded and aired within the live parts of the show.

Having maintained the same name and format continuously, The Late Late Show was first broadcast on Friday 6 July 1962 at 11:20 pm[8] and in colour from 1976. Originating as temporary summer filler for a niche Saturday night audience (airing at 11:30 pm),[6] it later moved to its current home on Friday night schedules. The format has remained largely the same throughout, featuring interviews, musical performances and discourse on topical issues. It has influenced attitudes of the populace towards approval or disapproval of its chosen topics, directed social change and helped shape Irish societal norms. It averages 650,000 viewers per episode and has consistently achieved RTÉ's highest ratings.[6]

For much of its early life, RTÉ Television Centre's Studio 1 at Montrose in Donnybrook, Dublin 4, was its home; this original studio accommodated a small audience of about 120. In 1995, The Late Late Show transferred to the more spacious Studio 4, adapted specifically to cater for this and Kenny Live. Three external broadcasts have aired, including from the Wexford Opera House on 5 September 2008[9] and, most recently, from London in 2018.[10]

Gay Byrne hosted the show from its inception until 21 May 1999. Pat Kenny was Byrne's successor, hosting the show for ten years between 1999 and 2009. Ryan Tubridy succeeded Kenny in September 2009 and hosted the show for fourteen years. Under Tubridy, first Quinn Group and then Sky Broadband added sponsorship deals.[11][12] Tubridy's arrival coincided with a marked increase in audience ratings,[13] with some early statistics comparing him to the Byrne era.[14][15] Patrick Kielty is the current presenter, having succeeded Tubridy in September 2023.[16]

  1. ^ Cite error: The named reference sex_factor was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  2. ^ Last, Jane (2 October 2009). "Look who just popped in for the Late Late". Evening Herald. Archived from the original on 18 February 2013. Retrieved 4 October 2009.
  3. ^ Cite error: The named reference infull27032020 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  4. ^ Cite error: The named reference tv_first_as_senators_justify_jobs was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  5. ^ Lalor, Brian (2003). The Encyclopedia of Ireland. Yale University Press. p. 147. ISBN 978-0-300-09442-8.
  6. ^ a b c "Is it too late to save the Late Late?". Irish Independent. 4 April 2009. Archived from the original on 6 April 2009. Retrieved 5 April 2009.
  7. ^ Chrisafis, Angelique (22 November 2004). "Just call me Nell". The Guardian. London. Archived from the original on 25 February 2015. Retrieved 13 April 2009.
  8. ^ Cite error: The named reference montrose_chameleon was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  9. ^ "County in a tizzy as The Late Late Show broadcasts from Wexford". Wexford Echo. 4 September 2008.
  10. ^ "In Pictures: The Late Late Show in London". RTÉ. 13 October 2018. Archived from the original on 8 October 2020. Retrieved 8 March 2021.
  11. ^ Bray, Allison (11 August 2009). "Tubridy gets early €1m boost with 'Late Late' deal". Irish Independent. Archived from the original on 12 August 2009. Retrieved 11 August 2009.
  12. ^ "Sky Broadband Officially Named New 'Late Late Show' Sponsor". Irish Film and Television Network. 23 August 2013. Archived from the original on 25 February 2015. Retrieved 10 October 2013.
  13. ^ Murphy, Claire (8 September 2009). "1.6m tune in to see Tubridy on his Late Late Show debut". Evening Herald. Archived from the original on 7 January 2013. Retrieved 11 September 2009.
  14. ^ McGreevy, Ronan (7 September 2009). "Tubridy's 'Late Late' debut draws 1.6m". The Irish Times. Archived from the original on 25 February 2015. Retrieved 11 September 2009.
  15. ^ McGreevy, Ronan (8 September 2009). "1.6m tuned in for Tubridy 'Late Late'". The Irish Times. Archived from the original on 25 February 2015. Retrieved 11 September 2009. In total, about 1.6 million tuned in at some stage of the programme, making it the most watched Late Late Show, outside the toy show, since Gay Byrne's retirement in May 1999.
  16. ^ Corr, Alan (16 September 2023). "Patrick Kielty brings a fresh spin to the Late Late Show". RTÉ. Retrieved 16 September 2023.