A beloved Irish television institution returned to screens Friday night, with County Down’s Patrick Kielty hosting his third edition of the star-studded Late Late Toy Show, welcoming children of all ages.
From the outset, Kielty embraced a festive spirit, transforming into the Dr. Seuss character, The Grinch, as the Late Late set became the fictional town of Whoville.
Kielty dismissed any sense of the show being a “pressure gig,” expressing his gratitude to be “in the middle of a show which brings so much joy.”
Roy Keane, CMAT, and Lewis Capaldi were among the celebrity guests surprising both children and audience members during the festive broadcast.
The Late Late Toy Show, traditionally the country’s most-watched television program, has been a fixture since the 1970s, signaling the start of the Christmas season for many in the Republic of Ireland and beyond.
The RTÉ show stands as an annual tradition in countless households across the island of Ireland.
The Toy Show Appeal has generated over €26 million (£22.7 million) since its inception five years ago.
As is customary, children were invited to test and review the latest toys, offering their candid opinions live on air.
Numerous children from across Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland showcased their talents in singing and dancing.
The show opened with a voiceover from Ballymena-born actor Liam Neeson, setting the stage for the evening’s festivities.
Additional celebrity cameos included video messages from Scottish musician Lewis Capaldi, Irish golfer Shane Lowry, and Northern Irish and Liverpool footballer Conor Bradley.
Irish football icon and former Manchester United midfielder Roy Keane also made a surprise appearance in the studio.
Irish indie-folk group Kingfishr performed their viral hit “Killeagh” live, describing their appearance on the show as “the honour of our lives.”
Musician CMAT joined the show fresh from a performance at Dublin’s 3Arena, surprising the audience and announcing that the programme’s charity appeal raised just over €4 million (£3.49m).
Speaking prior to Friday’s show, Maire from Magilligan, County Londonderry, was among the children to perform during the broadcast.
Maire told BBC Radio Foyle that “it was a dream come true to get the phone call” after her mother sent RTÉ a video of her singing.
“I’ve been singing from I was no age and I just love what it does to me and how others around me react,” she said.
“I can’t say anything about what I’m doing but I will be singing to millions of people and it’s going to be out of this world.”
The 16-year-old stated that she has been watching The Late Late Toy Show since she was young.
“We always get the sugary snacks out and watch all the laughs and performances. I really hope other young girls watch on Friday night and realise dreams can come true if you push yourself in music or dance.”
Ahead of the broadcast, Patrick Kielty emphasized the show’s unifying nature.
“The Toy Show is one of those things that you start, you get on-air and off it goes like a rocket. Where it lands, nobody knows,” he told BBC Radio Ulster’s Good Morning Ulster programme.
“Most of the kids will always have something up their sleeves to try to throw you and make you laugh.”
He hailed the inclusivity of the show, represented particularly in the children’s parade, which included participants from all 32 counties across the island of Ireland.
“It brings everybody together on the island no matter where they’re from,” he added.
“Last year, we’d Brian Óg from Tyrone, who kind of stole the show. So there’s always a good representation from all four provinces, and I think that that’s something that that also puts a smile on people’s faces.”
Aoibheann, 13, and Aislinn, 14, both students at St Catherine’s College in Armagh, also performed on Friday night’s broadcast.
Aislinn has been playing the fiddle and taking singing lessons since the age of seven.
“I am very excited to be performing and I know it will be an amazing experience,” she said.
Janine, Aoibheann’s mother, told BBC News NI “we are all so excited and proud of her.”
“The toy show usually marks the start of our Christmas. The tree goes up and the new PJs go on and we all sit down and watch.”
“It’s so surreal that Aoibheann will be appearing this year. A few nerves may be kicking in now but overall she is excited.”
Christmas films have been a continuing theme since Kielty took over as presenter of The Late Late Show in 2023, and it did so this year as the Dundrum man dressed up as The Grinch.
He has previously won audiences over with his Elf show in 2023 and Home Alone in 2024, but this year, it took him a lot longer in the makeup chair.
Kielty said he would be spending around three hours there, using a combination of cosmetics and prosthetic moulds to transform into the infamous green humbug.
It was expected to take about an hour and a half to remove the look.
“Let’s see what happens,” he said.
“Some would say that there’s very, very little transformation required facially for that (the Grinch) to happen.
“So I am very much pushing back on that though.”
The show routinely ranks as the most-watched television programme in Ireland, reaching well over a million viewers with its Christmas cheer.
Kielty highlighted the show’s accessibility, noting that it isn’t geo-blocked so it can be enjoyed by viewers from across the globe.
“I feel that the show… there is a sort of sense that it’s Irish Thanksgiving,” he said.
“It’s that idea that it’s not quite Christmas, but it’s got that people coming together feel and wherever you are in the world, you can you can tune-in and be part of it.”
“And that’s another reason why it’s such a special thing to host.”
The Late Late Toy Show commenced on RTÉ One at 21:35 GMT.
It was also broadcast worldwide on RTÉ Player.