As he counts down to the Late Late Show's 60th birthday celebrations tonight, Ryan Tubridy has joked that his dream interview with Paul McCartney is "never going to happen".
Over his 13 seasons as host, Tubridy has made no secret of his biggest wish - and the build-up to Friday night's show has provided another opportunity to vent.
"I think his people have taken an injunction out against me and a protection order in case I actually land in a door in London and say, 'Please, would you come out and play?'" Tubridy laughed. "The fact is I'm a Beatles nut, I'm a McCartney guy."
"I've seen him nine times in concert," the presenter continued. "He has just made all this music that I buy - stuff that his kids wouldn't buy! Like, I've been very loyal to Paul, and I think Paul should start giving something back; not just to me personally, but to the people of Ireland! They need to see him on the show!"
An encounter backstage at a gig many years ago did not go according to plan...
"I was a disgrace," Tubridy lamented. "I fanboyed. I ended up tapping him on the shoulder, like, manically and he was kind of... I think he was looking around for security. I had a chicken sandwich before - so that was nice - I had bits of chicken in my teeth!
"And I was wearing an unforgivable shirt that looked like something out of Wall Street in the Eighties - but this was in the 2000s before a gig in Manchester.
"He didn't want pictures taken. I got a picture taken. Essentially, the picture is him going, 'Don't take the picture, please don't' - and I'm manically grinning with my chicken teeth going and he's kind of looking around for security!
"So is it any wonder I can't get the man on the show? I don't blame him!
"It's never going to happen! Also, I don't want the interview to be by Zoom or by phone! It's got to be face-to-face! We have to talk this out, Paul!
"I don't even need that much time with him. You know, just maybe 20 minutes and ask, 'So, The Beatles - what was that all about?'"
"I have been to his house in Liverpool where he grew up," Tubridy concluded as he headed off to Late Late rehearsals. "It was part of the tour..."
The Late Late Show, RTÉ One, 9:35pm
