Ryan Tubridy: Bring back telethon event to ease ‘Strumpet City style' poverty in Ireland

The Late Late Show host Ryan Tubridy wants to bring back the People in Need Telethon to RTÉ to help ease what he calls the Strumpet City-type poverty in Ireland.

“We’re hearing about families staying in B&Bs and children having to be put up in hotels. It sickens me and it scares me and it appalls [me].

“Children are doing their homework in a hotel room and it’s not right. That’s Strumpet City not Dublin City in 2015. The kind of carry on has to stop. It’s gone too far and it’s out of control. I think we need to bring something like Children in Need to RTÉ,” said the broadcaster.

He was talking at the launch of St Vincent de Paul’s annual appeal and this year the charity estimates that its volunteers will visit about 140,000 people around the country between now and Christmas.

Mr Tubridy said he is floating the telethon idea after a visit to London last week, where he was filling in for Terry Wogan on his BBC 2 Sunday slot, after the veteran presenter took ill.

“I was a little influenced by my trip to the UK last weekend and I saw the fuss it was all making for Children in Need, but also the amount of money it raised.

“I think it was close to €50m — so can you imagine how many people that would help out in Ireland? I’m flying a kite. It’s actually sincere and RTÉ should consider.

“We did it for many years and if we are in a position to put something like that on, with lots of support, there’s no reason why we shouldn’t.”

People in Need ran every second year from 1989 to 2007, with €7.5m being raised in the final year.

With Ryan Tubridy at the SVP launch were Kerry GAA footballer Killian Young and Dublin GAA footballer Denis Bastick

Mr Tubridy said the event could raise “a few million quid” for St Vincent de Paul and another number of charities.

He also offered up his time to host the event.

“If they did a telethon in the not-too-distant future, I would do 12 hours on the trot, just to get it going and to lead by example.

“I think the bosses may have a thing or two to say about it. I’m just the monkey — you have to talk to the zookeeper, but I think it makes sense.”

Before The Late Late Toy Show on November 27, which the broadcaster says he is in lengthy dance rehearsals for, there is one more show this Friday and he revealed the line-up at the St Vincent de Paul annual launch yesterday.

“AP McCoy, Brendan O’Carroll, Dara O’Briain, Alesha Dixon, and Hometown are on the Late Late Show this week, so it’s a busy, lively show. Things are good at the moment.”