The Late Late Showwas interrupted last night when a member of the audience began to verbally abuse host Pat Kenny.
Shortly after the show went on air at 9.30pm on RTE One it was temporarily aborted when a man emerged from the audience and began shouting at Mr Kenny.
Mr Kenny had just introduced three judges from the You're a Star show which is also broadcast on the channel, when the alert began.
Television chiefs immediately pulled the plug when it became clear what was happening and the show had to break for advertisements.
The man, who was dressed in a brown leather jacket and jeans, stood before Mr Kenny and was heard to say: "You and Gay Byrne are insufferable. You're a piece of s***."
After shouting further comments at Mr Kenny the man was removed by security staff and later arrested by gardai, according to RTE.
Mr Kenny took over as host of the station's flagship show seven years ago from Gay Byrne who had been the presenter since 1962.
In statement a spokesman for RTE said gardai were called to the studios in Donnybrook, Dublin, and took the man into custody.
"RTE understands that the man in question was a member of the live studio audience," he said.
"Production personnel went immediately to a commercial break while security personnel removed the man from the set."