Late Late Show shifts to St Patrick’s Day to boost virtual celebrations

The Late Late Show will this year be broadcast for the first time on a Wednesday, to mark St Patrick’s Day.

Up to now, the longest running chatshow in the world has always been broadcast on either a Friday or a Saturday.

This year’s programme will reflect the fact that no festivities will be held this year to mark St Patrick’s Day as a consequence of the pandemic.

It is hoped the event will have a virtual audience of hundreds of thousands of people across the world and be a “global hub” for what has usually been a big day worldwide.

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Host Ryan Tubridy said: "Since the pandemic hit, we have made it our business to embrace Ireland like never before on The Late Late Show and show the best of who we are– and that is what we are going continue to do on St Patrick's Day.

“People cannot come to Ireland this year, and we can’t go visit, so what we can do is put on an extravaganza that celebrates the joy, beauty and passion of being Irish.”

All parades and gatherings in Ireland for St Patrick’s Day have been cancelled for a second year in a row. Most parades around the world too have been cancelled as a result of the pandemic.

Viewers from abroad who wish to be in with a chance to participate in the virtual audience can log onto www.rte.ie/latelate