Former newsreader Anne Doyle says Ryan Tubridy is making a "very clever move" leaving the Late Late Show - saying she thinks Patrick Kielty is a "good choice to take over.
And she believes negotiations between the Co Down native and RTE have been going on for a while.
Anne said that while she will miss seeing Tubridy present the Friday night chat show, she believes it was a “clever move” made by the radio and TV host.
READ MORE: Retired RTE newsreader Anne Doyle recalls tragic death of work colleague from AIDS
She said: “Yeah but I think he is making a very clever move. 14 years is a long time.”
Friday night saw Tubridy's last ever Late Late Show after 14 years where he was showered with tributes, including The Beatles star Paul McCartney, while he was also presented with a Vespa scooter by U2, driven on to the set by comedian PJ Gallagher.
Asked what Anne thought about Kielty taking over, she said she backed him a long time ago.
“Yeah. He’s a very good choice. I fancied him as a choice. Negotiations with Patrick Kielty have been going on for quite a long time.”
Asked if she wanted a woman to take the helm of the chat show, she added: “I wanted the best person.”
On Friday night, a pre-recorded wide-ranging interview with President Michael D. Higgins was shown first and some of Toy Show favourites from over the years then made an appearance.
They performed a song called Cups which has the lyrics “You’re Going to Miss Me When I’m Gone”. Saoirse Bates, who opened the performance, originally sang the song on the Toy Show back in 2013.
Before the song, Tubs spoke again about his love for the Toy Show.
He said fronting the beloved annual programme was like being Santa’s ambassador.
Tubridy explained: “When you walk into a shop and you see a little child holding their mum or dad or aunty or uncle’s hand and the child sees you and the jaw drops and they go ‘The Toy Man’”.
He added: “Over the past 14 years, we’ve seen children surprised by their heroes, reunited with long lost family members and there have been some really special moments where the children of Ireland have taught us adults a thing or two along the way about life.”
Shortly after their performance, a visibly emotional Tubridy said he was “lost for words”.
He explained: “See when you do the Toy Show, I never really see too many of the children again.
“I always think you’re part of my strange weird family but I have you trapped like a fly in amber. I always think you’re going to stay that age because that is how I associate you but when I see you all grown up and looking so elegant and smart and talented, I just want to say thank you … I’m a little bit lost for words.”
Adam King, who captured the nation's hearts during the Covid-19 pandemic when he was on the Toy Show in 2020, also made an appearance and the entire audience stood up and held "virtual hug" signs in a tear-jerking moment.
Tubs was then presented with a framed "virtual hug".
Speaking to the RTE Guide previously, Ryan said he was tired of being public property.
He said: “My life was lived in the glare of the limelight for 20 years so yes, that was one of the reasons. I wanted to turn that light down. I just think I had my fill of being public property at that level.
“Now I’ve always accepted the fame thing was part and parcel of the job, but then you hit an age and think, ‘That was lovely, but I don’t want to play that game anymore.’
“Last summer, the seeds were sown in my head, but it got short-circuited in the last few months. So no one thing, but a tapestry of events that helped to lead me to where I am today.”
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