Ryan Tubridy has lifted the lid on the mayhem behind the magic – recalling kids puking, parents panicking and stage fright backstage at the Late Late Toy Show.
With just days to go until the big night on RTE, he also revealed he cares more for people’s memories of the show months later – rather than nasty Twitter trolls on the night.
The 46-year-old presenter said: “To me it doesn’t matter what our number [ratings] is.
“As long as we make a good show and everyone in the station is happy. Because it is a team effort.
“Sometimes I go to a planning meeting and the team can’t decide which segment to do or they are deciding between a few things.
“I care far more about what parents say to me in Connemara in July when I’m on holidays.
“I still get people in the height of summer commenting on the previous December’s show. That is incredible and far more important than what Twitter thinks the night of the show.
“Getting off Twitter was one of the best decisions I ever made. I don’t ever think about dipping in, not for a second - it’s a nasty place.”
And following the success of last year’s highest rating Toy Show of all-time, with 1,555,000 million tuning in to the The Greatest Showman-themed special, Tubs revealed why the team have decided to scale the show back this year.
He said: “We decided early on to pare this year’s show right back. How do you follow the Greatest Showman’s theme? You can’t.
“So this is all about the magic of Christmas.”
Revealing some of the last-minute nerves and mayhem that goes on in the wings before the iconic show goes to air, he said: “The Toy Show may look chaotic out front, but believe me it is pure pandemonium out back.
“Think of all the kids and performers and celebrities and concerned yet giddy parents.
“Sometimes kids get stage fright and don’t go out.”
He told the Sunday World mag: “Other times we have pukers and kids with, eh, toileting issues. Let’s just say that the DVD bonus extras are not pretty.”
Meanwhile, dubbing himself quite the professional he said: “Right now, with a week to go, no, I don’t have any nerves. I’m excited about it and can’t wait to get it going.
“But as the news goes to the weather at 9.30pm next Friday night, you can rest assured that the floor staff and production team will be doing everything to calm me down.
“I still get butterflies. More so for this show that any other.”
- The Late Late Toy Show airs on RTE One on Friday, November 29 at 9.35pm
