Times, they are a changin and the Late Late Toy Show is changing too with host Ryan Tubridy confirming that there will be no in-studio audience at this year's show.
Promising to be a Toy Show like no other, a number of changes have been made to the way things are usually done - one of the most notable being that there will be no live audience at this year's show. Speaking at the RTÉ virtual Autumn launch, Tubs filled us in on what we can expect.
"There was a sense about the place that the Toy Show was under threat, but we are well and truly on the road with it. I think, without question, that it will be the most important Toy Show that we’ve ever done – for obvious reasons.
The kids have been so good. They’ve had the weirdest year of their lives and it is absolutely up to us to make the sun shine for them again. We are determined and excited."
Also commenting on the decision to have no audience this year, Tubridy later added:
"We made a decision quite early on that there will be no audience. My feeling was ‘if people watching can’t meet up, then why the hell should we?’
"There was talk of a small number gathering and I said that I didn’t like that. I just think it’s all or nothing, so when the people at home can gather - we’ll gather too. Until then, I’m just going to talk to the empty seats."
Admitting that doing the show without a crowd of in-studio supporters is definitely very daunting, the broadcaster assured the public that everything will be socially distanced and in accordance with public health guidelines.
"It’s going to be a radically different type of Toy Show… it’s going to be a Toy Show like no other."
With preparation for the show already underway, it sounds like the team is ahead of themselves in terms of planning - already having
chosen a character for the opening number.
