Six things we learned at the Toy Show press preview, including Kielty's thoughts on Tubridy's job
Patrick Kielty with Danny Sheehan (8), from Wexford, Poppy Madden (6), from Carlow, Layla Ibegu (10), from Carlow, Kyle Deane (8, from Carlow, and Darcy Ramsbottom (6), from Carlow on The Late Late Toy Show set. Picture: Brian Lawless/PA Wire
The first thing that struck me when Patrick Kielty strolled into the scrum of journalists and photographers in studio five was how differently the adults and the children in the room reacted to his arrival.
Having been to two previous in-person Toy Show previews and one covid era one over Zoom, I was always struck by the hype and excitement the arrival of his predecessor Ryan Tubridy ignited among those gathered. Of course, Tubridy was a showman who embraced the spectacle — and it helped build the energy in the crowd when he whizzed in atop a scooter.
In contrast, Kiely’s arrival was so low-key some of those chatting continued for a minute before realising he had arrived. However, the Toy Show is not about the grown-ups, so my eyes went to the children assembled in the room — kids taking part in tonight’s show who had yet to meet the new Toy Man — and their eyes lit up the second they spotted him. They hung on his every word, nudging each other excitedly when he hinted at special guests and fun on the night.
And Kielty was focused on them too. His first steps were not to the mic in front of the crowd but to every child he saw, moving to each to shake their hand and welcome them. They were thrilled, turning to their parents and guardians excitedly afterwards as if to ask, ‘did you see, did that really just happen?’ The grown-ups might have their own opinions, but the children are what make the Toy Show magical, and these kids have given Kielty a big thumbs up.
Tubridy was, of course, the elephant in the room. He was one of the kids on Toy Show night, goofing around and acting the fool to entertain not just the adults but the kids watching at home. It seems likely that Kielty will instead be our fun Christmas uncle, the guy who turns up, encourages just the right amount of naughty behaviour that Santa won’t take notice, and gets all the children worked up and excited before handing them back to their mams and dads.
For years at the Toy Show previews I’ve been whacked with stuffed toys and shot by Nerf guns — not by the kids, but by the host. This year, I'm happy to report I dodged all flying toys. Kielty, whose own boys are aged seven and five, encouraged the children he was with to throw stuffed snowballs at the press, swiftly followed by a menagerie of stuffed animals. The kids had the times of their lives, so the nation’s children will likely love every minute.
Each year, there is much speculation over two Toy Show staples: the theme, and the colour of the host’s jumper. While we can confirm the studio has been transformed into a blend of Santa’s workshop and New York City to pay homage to the beloved Christmas movie Elf, details of the jumper Kielty will be wearing are still a mystery, even to the host himself despite having laid his eyes on it.
“I’m colourblind,” he told the press constantly when asked about the style of jumper. He said he would tell us but he can’t be sure himself if he would give the right hue. He joked that the festively emerald shirt he was wearing was a lovely shade of brown to his eyes.
However, it’s not just a jumper many are hoping to see. When asked if he would be stepping out in the tights of Buddy the elf, Kielty turned coy.
“I’m much more Papa Elf than I would be Buddy, so you might be barking up the wrong tree. let’s wait and see,” he said with a laugh.
Kielty has already performed a song for the Late Late audience, joining Daniel O’Donnell last month in a duet of ‘I Just Want To Dance With You’, and the reaction to that has made the comedian second-guest a Christmas carol or two on Friday night.
“Based on my performance with Daniel O’Donnell, there may well be a chance I will never be allowed to sing and dance on RTÉ ever again,” he joked.
“We’ve got some amazing performances, we’ve got a few surprises, there’s definitely a few costume changes which we’ve been working on. There will be singing and dancing. Whether I’m singing and dancing has yet to be seen.”
One thing he can guarantee is a tear or two: “I would say definitely put a few quid on [the host shedding a tear]. We’re trying to work out how we can build in some hanky space into some of the costumes.”
“I’m a fairly emotional person anyway. I always say with these things, if that’s the reaction you’re getting then that’s the reaction that everybody else is getting and that’s real life.”
Kielty says he is very happy for Tubridy after the former host revealed he is moving to London to take up a presenting role on Virgin Radio. He confirmed the move live on air with Chris Evans last week.
"I was delighted when I heard Ryan got that gig," Kielty said.
"I’ve been on Chris’s show a load of times. I worked with Ryan at Radio Two and I think he’s going to do a great job. I genuinely wish him all the best."
Kielty's two boys will be cheering on their dad from home, watching in their Toy Show PJs with their mum, fellow presenter Cat Deeley.
“The kids will be watching at home like pretty much every other kid that watches the show. They’ve got their pyjamas, that delivery was made over the weekend. They've got their slippers," he said, adding they will be up past their bedtime when the show starts so he's not sure if they'll see the whole thing.
"If they get through halfway and catch up on the Player on Saturday I'm doing all right. But the good news about having a five and a seven year old is that they’ll be your biggest supporters and also your fiercest critic. So let's see what they're writing on Saturday morning.”
And Kielty’s own Saturday will be a relaxed one to unwind from the Toy Show energy and excitement.
“I’m probably going to be watching the second half of the Toy Show with my two boys. I don't think that they’ll get through to half 11 on Friday night. Watching it back is probably the thing that we're going be doing.”
When asked if he’s taking the weekend off, he was quick to say his time with the kids is far from downtime.
“I would say if you talk to any parent the idea of being at home and taking that off, that kind of doesn’t happen. So I’ll definitely be at home but definitely not taking it off,” he laughed.
