Graham Norton revealed he shed tears when he heard Gay Byrne died.
And the family of Brendan Grace credited the Late Late legend for launching the late comic’s career.
Irish-born presenter Norton, now based in the UK, admitted he was sad not to be home in Ireland to mourn with the rest of the nation.
He told Newstalk’s Pat Kenny: “I’m so glad to talk to you because it is so hard to be in the UK on a day like today.
“I so wish I was back in Ireland, where, yet again he has joined the nation and the whole country has come together to talk about Gay and the memories of him.”
He added: “It’s odd for me because I’ve met him a few times, but I didn’t know him.
“The tears I shed yesterday when I heard he had gone, it’s odd. You feel like is this maudlin or fake tears or what is it?
“But it is a genuine grief and I think a lot of people will be feeling it.
“It’s hard to explain because you didn’t really know this man but he was an incredibly important part.
“And he symbolised a lot for people growing up. That idea of people being visible for the first time.
“People you’ve never seen before, and put them on and talked to them and gave them a voice.”
Norton also told how it was his dream come true when he was first interviewed by the iconic presenter on the Late Late Show.
He told RTE Radio One’s Ryan Tubridy: “There aren’t many moments in your life when you feel ‘this is it, I’ve made it’, but to be on the Late Late.
“It meant so much to my Dad, he wasn’t well at the time, but he made it up to Dublin to be in the audience and it was very special.
“It was towards the end of Gaybo’s tenure. It was me and Terry Wogan and Gay, both of them were so nice to me.
“I had been doing my show for maybe two years but they both talked to me as if we all did the same job. There was no talking down to me. They weren’t patronising.
“Afterwards we went into the Green Room and Gay was still the host.
“Making sure everyone had a drink. It felt like the place to be. I remember thinking to myself ‘I must stay like this, I mustn’t get jaded. I mustn’t get tired. I must stay interested in the way that this man is’.”
Meanwhile, on their official Facebook page, Remembering Brendan Grace, his family paid tribute to Gaybo, four months after losing the comic genius, aged 68.
They said: “Brendan had the utmost admiration and respect for Gay Byrne, the man whom he credits with having launched his career.
“He affectionately nicknamed Gaybo ‘Holy God’ and we’ve no doubt Brendan is part of the welcome committee, extending the warmest of homecomings to Gay, beyond the veil.
“May he rest in eternal peace.
“Brendan’s family would like to offer their deepest sympathies and condolences to dear Kathleen, Crona, Suzi & their families, on this sad day.”
