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Joanne McNally on the Late Late Show: 'I don't think I believe in marriage'

Joanne McNally on the Late Late Show on RTÉ One
Joanne McNally on the Late Late Show on RTÉ One

Joanne McNally has said she doesn't think she believes in marriage and that she might have "outgrown it" on the Late Late Show.

The comedian and podcaster appeared on the RTÉ One chatshow on Friday night where she spoke about her and Vogue Williams' five sell-out My Therapist Ghosted Me podcast gigs at the 3Arena, saying they have "a lot of female energy in the room. We're very lucky, very blessed".

The Dubliner also spoke about finally getting her own home after previously staying in Williams' basement, which Kielty described as the "Irish equivalent of Taylor Swift sleeping in Beyoncé's utility room."

She said: "I was late getting into comedy so I had to reset. I walked away from a proper job, like a paid, adult job and went into a clowning profession basically. So I had to start again at 33, 34.

"I didn't have a pot to urinate in, so that's why I ended up in her basement. But now I've matured and I have my own flat."

She continued: "Now there's nothing in it - I've had it for three months and I've never spent a night there.

"I've broadband because when I do get in there, I don't want any of my own thoughts - immediately I just want to be able to tune into something else. I've broadband and a mattress, I'm 40 years of age - not a teacup, not a spoon."

When asked by Kielty if her boyfriend Alan Byrne helped her move in, she exclaimed: "Well, he didn't really! Well he tried to help me but he's as bad as I am.

"He came over and fell asleep in the middle of about 68 boxes - he was no use to me at all."

Kielty coyly asked if he was a nice guy and she said: "He's is a nice guy, of course he is!"

The presenter then suggested that Christmas is coming up and asked if she might be expecting a ring on the finger.

"I actually don't think I believe in marriage, I feel I've outgrown it now," McNally replied. "I think [at] 40, you've either done it now or what's the point, do you know what I mean? That's how I feel about it."

"Is this how you're breaking the news to him?", Kielty asked.

"No, he knows!", McNally replied.

At one point during the interview, presenter Kielty stood into one of McNally's oversized handbags from her line of merchandise she launched earlier this year.

The stand-up star also spoke about her upcoming Christmas plans, saying she'll spend time with her boyfriend and her mum.

"My mother, she's 70-odd now so I'm very paranoid about how many Christmases she has left, which sounds really grim but this is what I think about now!

"I'm like, what have we got left here? Because I'm obsessed with her - she's one of my best friends. So now it's anything she wants, I'll bring her to Santa's grotto and everything. Every Christmas is about my mother and how we can make her happy.

"I said, 'Do you want to go to Iceland? What do you want to do?!' We're making memories. 'Do you want a Fabergé egg, what do you want?' I'll get it back in the will anyway."

The comedian also detailed how she will tour less next year and is pitching documentaries to TV networks.

The Late Late Show, Friday nights at 9.35pm on RTÉ One and RTÉ Player.

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