Winsome threesome upstage duo

THE Seoige sisters probably never heard WC Fields’ famous advice about never sharing the limelight with children or dogs.

He knew no matter how accomplished a performer you are, children and cuddly animals will always upstage you.

It takes a lot to outshine the simmering Seoige sisters but the Howe triplets managed it when Gráinne and Síle Seoige shared the couch for their sister act debut on RTÉ.

The four-year-old boys, along with their mother, Michelle, were the Seoiges’ first guests, there to celebrate the miraculous recovery of one brother, Jake, who almost drowned in a swimming pool in Spain.

The lively kids, sporting Ireland soccer team jerseys, appeared bored as Síle, who also presents Paisean Faisean on TG4, ignored their antics and asked Michelle: “What was your lowest moment?”

This was the opening sequence of Seoige and Seoige by Tyrone Productions, an all-girl programme that replaces Gráinne’s afternoon chat show after her last co-host, Joe O’Shea, was given his walking papers.

Gráinne, the more seasoned broadcaster, must have felt that things were slipping as she felt compelled to offer the youngers a “surprise” if they “promised to be good for one more minute”.

The surprise came via the voice of former soccer international Ray Houghton who offered the boys and their parents VIP tickets for Ireland’s World Cup qualifying match against Cyprus.

It was hard to know if the children understood what was going on but they managed to stay still until the ad break, at least.

There was plenty of eye candy on display throughout the show — Gráinne showing plenty of cleavage while her younger but even bustier sister dizzied things up a bit, interviewing actors on the set of Fair City and even blagging her way into a walk-on part in the TV soap.

Big Sister took the reins on her own to chin-wag with the seriously brainy Michael D Higgins but this exchange was seriously dull.

Anyone hoping that this might turn all Desperate Housewives with the sisters scratching each other’s eyes were disappointed.

There was one hopeful moment when Gráinne, reminded Síle that she shouldn’t let her part on Fair City go to her head.

“Your part ended up on the cutting room floor,” she told her, with just the tiniest hint of a smirk.

Unlike the Howe lads, who remained cheerful, this elicited a pout from Síle that would have put a four-year-old to shame.