Joe Duffy has revealed whether he’d take over The Late Late Show from Ryan Tubridy.
Last month the broadcaster, who has been at the helm of RTÉ’s flagship programme for the past 14 years, announced his shock decision to step down as host.
A myriad of well-known names have been linked to the coveted presenting gig over the past couple of weeks – including Joe.
Speaking on his RTÉ Radio 1 show Liveline, Joe admitted: “I ruled myself out of presenting the Late Late before I was even ruled in.”
It comes after Angela Scanlon, who had also been hotly tipped to take over the coveted presenting gig, revealed she hadn’t thrown her hat in the ring.
When asked whether she’d present The Late Late Show, the mum-of-two told her followers: “Oh, f**k no. On Ask Me Anything we have an absolute hoot.”
“If I did that on a Friday night, I’d be thrown out.”
Dancing with the Stars co-hosts Doireann Garrihy and Jennifer Zamparelli have also responded to rumours that they could take over The Late Late Show hosting gig.
Elsewhere, Lucy Kennedy exclusively told Goss.ie she wasn’t interested in the gig, but she has since had a change of tune, on the condition that she could host the RTÉ chat show alongside Baz Ashmawy or Dáithí Ó Sé.
he told us: “If the Late Late changed its format, would I host it with Baz? Hands down, yes. Baz is a male me. We’ve the exact same sense of humour and he loves people, he’s a softie like me.”
“The same with Dáithí Ó Sé, if he was in the running for the Late Late gig and I was asked to do it with him, yes please! He’s someone else who I have professional chemistry with.”
Picture: Brian McEvoy
“Maybe that’s the thing to do, maybe RTÉ should have a male AND a female presenter on the Late Late,” Lucy continued to tell Goss.ie. “Why not?”
When asked who else she thinks would be a good replacement for Ryan, Lucy told us: “I would’ve liked Miriam O’Callaghan out of everybody. She has interviewed me a few times and she has a lovely way about her.”
“She’s also great craic, and is well able to handle let’s say a Love Islander and then, with her political background, she could also take on the more serious stuff. Miriam would have definitely been my first choice.”
“I also think Dara O’Briain would be brilliant. He’s got the same self-deprecating humour as Ryan, and he’s highly intelligent. He’s very funny, great craic, and very experienced. He’s got young kids as well, so he’d be great for The Toy Show. So I think Dara O’Briain would be a great choice.”
Lucy added: “I’m not just saying this because he’s a close friend, but whoever replaces Ryan Tubridy is filling such massive boots. I think people realise now how versatile he was.”
“He could interview somebody like me and then Gerry Adams, and then he could move onto a parent who lost a child, he is just so versatile.”
“I think the reason different people’s names are being linked to the Late Late gig every day now is because RTÉ are finding it very hard to find the new Ryan Tubridy. And that’s because he does not exist. There’s only one Ryan.”
“There’s so much pressure on whoever replaces him because he was The Late Late Show. And with The Toy Show in particular, there’s just huge pressure on the next presenter.”
