'Say a prayer' as Kielty hosts his first Toy Show

Patrick Kietly will host his first Late Late Toy Show on Friday

Expect song, dance and some moments sure to pull on the heartstrings as the chaos and cuteness of a much-loved Irish TV staple returns to screens this Friday.

And if you're the praying type, put in a good word for the presenter.

New host of the Late Late Show Patrick Kielty will this week host his first Toy Show, the programme's annual Christmas spectacular where children are invited into the studio to test run the year’s hottest toys.

Speaking to viewers on last week’s show, Kielty described it as “another dream come true”.

“I actually get to host the show that I watched as a wee fella with my mum, my dad and my brothers,” he said.

"Say a prayer for all on board as I try to hold it together and to all the kids who are going to be watching and to all those let loose in the studio,” Kielty added.

Traditionally the country’s most-watched television programme, The Late Late Toy Show marks for many in the Republic of Ireland and further afield the start of the Christmas season.

Seven-year-old Jamie Robinson from Belleek, County Fermanagh, will be on the show

Among the children due to appear on the show on Friday is seven-year-old Jamie Robinson from Belleek in County Fermanagh.

He said that he is very excited and that lots of his family will be watching at home.

Speaking to BBC News NI, he said that "the whole town has a candle lit for me every day".

Jamie said that he enjoys watching clips of the Toy Show on YouTube.

He wasn't allowed to talk about what he will be doing on Friday, but he said that for his audition he drummed along to a song from The Tumbling Paddies, a country-folk and pop group also from County Fermanagh.

Over the years the show has created some special moments, so ahead of Patrick Kielty’s first time wearing the Christmas jumper, BBC News NI looks at some memorable moments from recent years.

Adam King’s virtual hug

During the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020, when many of us were feeling separated from loved ones, Adam King from County Cork offered the viewers a “virtual hug”.

He also shared his dreams of one day joining a space mission and the moment went viral, prompting messages of support from high-profile astronauts and US and European space agencies.

Nasa tweeted "we can't wait for him to one day join our team of dreamers".

Can you feel the love tonight?

In 2017, the show included an amazing rendition of Can You Feel The Love Tonight from The Lion King.

Among the vocalists was 11-year-old Sophie Lennon, from Mayobridge in County Down.

Sophie, who was a finalist in the contest to represent Ireland in Junior Eurovision, said she was speechless when she learned she had been selected to appear on the Late Late Toy show.

“I couldn't talk for about 10 seconds," she said.

Finn rings the recovery bell

At its heart, the Toy Show is about the joy that toys can bring to children, and what better example of that than Finn Ryan who spoke about playing with Lego in hospital while receiving cancer treatment.

When he appeared on the show in 2021, Finn got to ring a bell celebrating his recovery from illness.

He was also delighted to find out that he and his family were being sent on a trip to Legoland in Denmark.

JohnJoe Brennan the horologist

When they are young, kids want to be all kinds of things when they grow up -often firefighters, police officers and astronauts are among the popular options.

But not for JohnJoe Brennan, he wanted to be a horologist.

After explaining to former presenter Ryan Tubridy exactly what a horologist does (they repair watches and clocks), JohnJoe had a look at Ryan’s watch for him, advising him to keep it clean.

Family reunited

In 2017, Adam and Kayla Burke told Ryan Tubridy about their dad, Sergeant Graham Burke, who they wouldn’t get to see over Christmas because he was serving overseas in Mali.

But not all the gifts on set were what they seemed.

Mr Burke burst out of a present, shocking his children.

Safe to say there were tears all round.

The Late Late Toy Show airs on Friday at 21:35 local time on RTÉ One and RTÉ Player.