Ryan Tubridy has paid tribute to incoming Late Late Show presenter Patrick Kielty, describing his appointment as a "great decision all round".
Speaking at the start of his RTÉ Radio 1 show on Monday morning as he faces into his final week as Late Late Show host, Tubridy said: "I want to mention Patrick Kielty because he's going to be the new presenter of the Late Late Show and I'm really, really happy about this choice, I have to say.
"I said it before - I think I probably said it off-air - that I was very, very supportive of the suggestion that he might take over the show."
"I just think he has, what they say in the business, the chops," Tubridy continued.
"He can cover the heavy side of things and he's got a background that will inform that, and he will also obviously do the lighter end of things with great skill because he's a comedian, he's a funny guy. He's also, any time I've met him, a really lovely fella with it.
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"So I want to wish him, I really want to wish him, the very, very best of luck. I think he'll do a great Toy Show as well because he'll be well able for it as the da to young kids and with a great whip-smart sense of humour. He'll be all over it."
"So I just think the show is going to be in really safe hands. He'll get himself backed up with a great team, which no doubt he will be. He'll be fine. It'll be great. I'm just happy," Tubridy enthused.
Tough gig awaits Patrick Kielty as new host of TV's longest-running chat show
"I mean, it's not really my thing to be talking about anymore necessarily in any big way because I'm the other, well, nearly, the ex-guy," he added.
"But I just want to put some wind in his sails as he heads forth on this extraordinary odyssey. And good luck. Good guy and a good future ahead for the Late Late Show. Great decision all round. Wishing everyone great happiness and great success."
Tubridy concluded that as he sets off on his "own road to say goodbye on Friday night", it will be "emotional - but it will be lovely".
The Late Late Show, Friday, RTÉ One and RTÉ Player, 9:35pm
