Ivan Yates takes aim at Ryan Tubridy's RTE Late Late Show branding it 'absolutely misery porn'

Ivan Yates has branded The Late Late Show “misery porn” and wants to combat it with his new TV series.

The 61-year-old left full-time broadcasting last year to host The Green Room, a light-hearted take on “the weird and wonderful world of sports”. The 30-minute Virgin Media show ends just before the Late Late starts on RTE at 9.35pm.

But Yates hopes it could be expanded into a full-on chat show after this “pilot season”.

And the former Tonight Show presenter claims it’s needed as a break from heavy Covid coverage. He told the Irish Mirror: “First of all, I’m very fond of Ryan Tubridy. But I watched the last few Late Late Shows and it was absolutely misery porn, it was bereavement porn.

RTE Late Late Show host Ryan Tubridy (RTE)

“So the point I’m making is The Green Room is exactly the opposite. It does not report to deal with the crisis, it just reports to give a bit of light relief to lockdown.”

Yates told how he has no regrets stepping off the TV “hamster wheel” during the pandemic.

But the ex-politician said he’s struggling with lockdown.

He added: “It’s awful. I absolutely hate it with a passion.”