Ryan Tubridy has promised that tonight's Late Late Show tribute to Gay Byrne will be "really special".
The veteran broadcaster passed away on Monday, November 4, after a long illness.
Join us after the news for a very special #LateLate pic.twitter.com/OCl4NuThBe
— The Late Late Show (@RTELateLateShow) November 5, 2019
Tubridy saluted his "great friend" and "magnificent mentor" on his RTÉ Radio 1 programme on Tuesday morning ahead of tonight's show. He described the Late Late tribute programme as "a happy wake".
Speaking to The Today Show's Brenda Donohue ahead of the show, Tubridy said: "Gay was a once off, so tonight is a once off.
"It makes perfect sense that we gather the troops, gather the family, the friends and to say a final thank you. Tonight isn't going to be maudlin, or morose, or mawkish, it's going to be upbeat, it's going to be fun."
.@RTELateLateShow host Ryan Tubridy tells @RTEToday's Brenda Donohue about tonight's Late Late Show Tribute to Gay Byrne, kicking off on @RTEOne at 9:35pm. #gaybyrne pic.twitter.com/mF0g0mTOCK
— Entertainment on RTÉ (@RTE_Ents) November 5, 2019
The 90-minute live special on RTÉ One at 9:35pm will feature contributions from Gay Byrne's friends and colleagues across the world of entertainment and beyond, including Bob Geldof, Andrea Corr, Pat Kenny, John Sheahan and Mary McAleese.
Also appearing will be President Michael D Higgins, Joe Duffy, Sharon Shannon, John Sheahan, Finbar Furey, Tommy Tiernan, Pat Shortt, Eamon Dunphy, Twink and Mary Black.
There will be a special live edition of The Late Late Show in tribute to Gay Byrne tomorrow, Tuesday night at 9.35pm on @RTEOne pic.twitter.com/YX4VcM0K6h
— The Late Late Show (@RTELateLateShow) November 4, 2019
The Late Late host used the story of Roald Dahl's Charlie and the Chocolate Factory to explain how Gay Byrne had inspired him.
"I just love the story about the little boy who saw this extraordinary man and thought, 'If I can get into that factory, I'd love to meet that man and learn all his tricks and maybe even run the factory someday [laughs]," Tubridy told his RTÉ Radio 1 listeners.
"And that's what it felt like sometimes: 'Could I get through those gates and work in, what I felt was, this magnificent factory that makes sweets and chocolate and all the best things in life for people?' And that's in many ways the story.
"I watched Gay, and I was in awe, as many people were, and thought, 'God, someday I'd love to meet him'. I watched him doing the Toy Show and thought, 'Is that a job? All he's doing is...' But of course he was doing nothing of the sort; he was making a very difficult job look easy. As he did every day, and every Friday night or Saturday night depending."
The Late Late Show Tribute to Gay Byrne, Tuesday, RTÉ One, 9:35pm and on the RTÉ Player
The full line-up for tonight's show is:
President Michael D Higgins
Mary McAleese
Bob Geldof
Pat Kenny
Joe Duffy
Mike Murphy
Andrea Corr
Sharon Shannon
John Sheahan
Finbar Furey
Nell McCafferty
John McColgan
Tommy Tiernan
Pat Shortt
Jon Kenny
Rosaleen Linehan
Eamon Dunphy
Twink
Fr Brian D'arcy
Paddy Maloney
Donal Lunny
Nell McCafferty
Michael Carruth
Moya Doherty
RTÉ Director General Dee Forbes
Vincent Browne
Mary Black
Frank McNamara
Aonghus McAnally
