Ryan Tubridy has said it was "an honour" to pay tribute to late Irish country legend Big Tom McBride on Friday night's Late Late Show on RTÉ One.
The Late Late Show Country Special saw the stars of the Irish country stage joining Tubridy to remember Big Tom, who passed away last week.
The Country Special drew a 51% share of the available television audience, with the average audience peaking at 612,100 viewers across the night, and the show having a reach of 1m viewers who tuned in for a minute or more.
"It was an honour to be able to celebrate the life and impact of Big Tom on this year's Country Special with some of his closest pals in the business," said Tubridy.
"There is a kind of a hole in our heart that can't be filled and there is a hole in the culture of Ireland that has suddenly died" - @FrBrianDarcy on the #LateLate Country Special speaking about the passing of Big Tom earlier this week. pic.twitter.com/JxCvia1Itl
— The Late Late Show (@RTELateLateShow) April 20, 2018
"One thing that we have learned from our specials is that the Irish country scene is really a family and I want to thank everyone involved in Friday's show for allowing us to give Big Tom the send off he very much deserved.
"With half the people watching television at the time tuned in, it is a testament to the popularity of the man and the music he loved so much."
You can watch the Late Late Show Country Special's tribute to Big Tom on the RTÉ Player.
