Patrick Kielty reveals tonight's Toy Show theme and compares it to 'Irish Thanksgiving'
Patrick Kielty on the Late Late Toy Show set. Picture: Colin Keegan, Collins Dublin
Patrick Kielty is preparing to host his first Late Late Toy Show this evening and the comedian is not underestimating the task. In fact, he can think of only one appropriate comparison.
“In a lot of ways I think it’s Irish Thanksgiving,” he told media at a preview event on Wednesday in RTÉ. He said the similarities between American families coming together and Irish families gathering on the same week for the Toy Show proves its power to connect people at home and abroad.
"Wherever you are in the world you want to connect with people around this event. The important thing for me is to have as much fun as I can and to let the kids have as much fun as they can and hopefully that will spread down the camera and out into the rest of the world.”
Kielty was speaking at the unveiling of the theme for this year’s Toy Show, and it’s one of his personal favourites: the 2003 Christmas movie Elf, starring Will Ferrell.
"It's a big movie in our house. We're going to have a lot of fun," he said, adding nerves are natural but he is honoured to lead the festivities.
"As someone who grew up watching the Toy Show, walking around in that set, you turn back into a being eight years of age and sitting in Dundrum watching the show with Gay Byrne. For me, it's a massive honour to be walking out on Friday night and to be part of this party."
Kielty, who will be joined by Santa, Papa Elf, and a host of workshop elves, knows the best way to spread Christmas cheer is singing loud for all to hear, and this year’s show will have over 170 performers and toy testers from across Ireland, with the youngest elf aged just four years old.
“Based on my performance with Daniel O’Donnell, there may well be a chance I will never be allowed to sing and dance on RTÉ ever again,” he joked when asked about his own role.
“We’ve got some amazing performances, we’ve got a few surprises, there’s definitely a few costume changes which we’ve been working on. There will be singing and dancing. Whether I’m singing and dancing has yet to be seen.”
Kielty said the reality of his part in the Toy Show hit him recently when a little girl stopped him in the street.
"Normally you have grown-ups coming up to you but it was a young couple and a wee girl of about five. She came up to me and she said: ‘Are you the Toy Show guy?’ Up until that point in my head mentally I’d think no, that’s not me. SuddenlyI’m going ‘yeah, that’s me’. And she went ‘good luck’."
The host said he is a bit nervous but he plans to enjoy the experience. “The key to it is, this isn’t my show. it’s the kids’ show and this show belongs to everybody, Irish at home and abroad."
The set for tonight’s Toy Show includes New York's Central Park and other scenes from the movie, including the Candy Cane Forest, and the film’s Post Office Workshop.
Toys will include a mix of big brand names, plus some sustainable options as well as cost-effective toys and Irish-made toys. Books will also be prominent, with a large majority of titles from Irish authors.
The Late Late Toy Show airs on RTÉ One and RTÉ Player tonight at 9.35pm.
