Sweets at the ready, says Patrick Kielty as countdown to the Toy Show begins

Late Late show host, Patrick Kielty with children participating in the Late Late Toy Show, Tara Dowling (5) from Carlow, and Cuinn O'Dowd (5) from Navan. Picture Colin Keegan, Collins Dublin.

Patrick Kielty is all set to return to our screens tonight for the highly anticipated and much-loved Late Late Toy Show.

This year, Christmas movie favourite Home Alone is the theme of the show with Kielty set to star alongside a host of little Kevin McCallisters and Wet Bandits on the set of the McCallister home.

Sharing his insights ahead of the show kicks off at 9.35pm on RTÉ One, Mr Kielty talks about the importance of the Toy Show to so many here at home and right across the globe, his advice to kids on how to stay awake right until the very end of the show and how not even an orange weather warning could stop the Toy Show.

Kids across the country - and parents alike - are waiting in anticipation for tonight’s show which promises to be one for the whole family to enjoy.

Mr Kielty has shared some advice on how kids can ensure they stay up past what would normally be their bedtime, advising them to have a nap in the evening and set an alarm for 9pm before digging into the treats.

Late Late Show host, Patrick Kielty pictured with Louis Hanna (6) from Dublin. Picture Colin Keegan, Collins Dublin.

“Set an alarm for about 9pm so you’re fresh as a daisy. Then, I’d go with some chocolate or sweets just to really get yourself going by 9.30pm so whenever your parents think you’re going to drift off to sleep by 10.30pm and they can get stuck into the sauvignon blanc, you’re still there like a Duracell Bunny.

"I want every kid to hang in right until the very end, to the point where they’re outlasting their parents. That is my goal."

And to the parents hoping their kids will get an early night, his message was “good luck”.

Speaking about tonight’s orange weather warning, he said: “It’ll take a fair bit of weather to stop the Toy Show - nothing stops the Toy Show.

Late Late show host, Patrick Kielty with children participating in the Late Late Toy Show, from left, Emmy Nolan (9) from Carlow, Tara Dowling (5) from Carlow, Harley Wallace (9) from Navan Louis Hanna (6) from Dublin, Sofia Ngobeni (10) from Carlow, Cuinn O'Dowd (5) from Navan and Layla Valentine (8) from Carlow. Picture Colin Keegan, Collins Dublin.

“Come hell or high water, or whatever weather warning, as of 9.30pm we’re going to be going.” 

Touching on the special guests in store for tonight he said that there are a few surprises and that those surprises “are based on who our kids want to see”.

He said his own kids have the Toy Show pyjamas “worn flat to the mat for the last three weeks” and that they will be freshly washed for tonight’s show, with plans for him and his boys to watch the show together over the weekend.

Speaking about the importance of the Late Late Toy Show to those of all ages right across the globe, he said: “At the start of the week there was a big media festival Content in London and basically every buyer from all over the world, they come there - loads of American companies, Netflix did a session before the session that I did.

"The guy I was interviewing used to run NBC and he said I’m glad you found some time because obviously this is Toy Show week and there was a cheer in the room, so, people do know what the Toy Show is and it’s something that people in this building are really proud of.

“What has gone on in this studio and what’s going to happen [tonight] is absolutely world-class and the brilliant thing about the RTÉ Player is that wherever you are in the world, you can watch it. 

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"My friends who aren’t Irish that watch it are blown away by it and are wondering why are we not doing this in our country, but I’m glad they’re not, I’m glad it’s just us.” 

Kielty described the Toy Show as something that means so much to every Irish person, no matter where they are in the world.

"I think one of the most important things about the Toy Show is that if you’re not at home and you’re not going to be at home for Christmas and you’ve got your friends in another country, the fact you can watch that on the Player.

"I think for us there’s an element of Irish Thanksgiving to the whole thing, so you can actually get together and be thankful for what you’ve got,” he said.

The Late Late Toy Show airs tonight at 9.35pm on RTÉ One - so get those cosy pyjamas, fluffy socks and treats at the ready!