Ryan Tubridy sends message to Irish public ahead of his final Late Late Show

Patrick McCarry

Time and tide waits for no Tubs.

At 11:40pm on Friday, just before RTÉ move on to the classic Julia Roberts and Patrick Bergin thriller Sleeping with the Enemy [a great watch], Ryan Tubridy will bring the curtain down on his 14 years as host of The Late Late Show.

Tubridy, who took over to Pat Kenny, in 2009 will hand over the hosting reigns to Patrick Kielty then take the summer off before, no doubt, we see and hear plenty of him again.

It has been a solid stretch for the Dubliner, with his toy show stewardship perhaps his most enduring legacy. In recent years, the toy show has gone from all glitz and gadgets into a more benevolent undertaking that truly champions this nation’s children.

Ahead of his final time in the Late Late host’s chair – and with a strong line-up confirmed – Tubridy had a message for the Irish public. “Tomorrow night is going to be a night of endings for sure, but beginnings for definite,” he commented.

“While I will be saying a lot of goodbyes for my last Late Late Show, it will also be a night of gratitude. Gratitude to all the people I have worked with and continue to work with and their families. And enormous gratitude to the guests, the artists, the singers, and the ‘doers’ who have come through the door and graced us with their presence.

“And of course, my greatest gratitude to my family who have been so loving and patient and my greatest supporters. They are the ones to whom I dedicate my last show. They are my constant. I love them so much and I want them to know that.”

Ryan Tubridy will host The Late Late Show for a final time, on Friday. (Credit: RTE)

Ryan Tubridy thanks viewers

“I also want to say thank you to the viewers who stuck with me, with us and with the show for the past 14 years,” Ryan Tubridy added.

“The viewers’ loyalty, decency, kindness and generosity has taken my breath away on a weekly basis. I sit looking at my desk this morning at about 300 or 400 cards and letters from people I don’t even know, that have come from all around Ireland and in some cases all around the world.

“I am humbled, I am grateful, and I am excited because this is the end of one phase of this extraordinarily exciting life I have had so far. I will be turning the big 5-0 on Sunday so, it’s the perfect time to look ahead and welcome a new chapter.

“Until I am ready to share that next chapter, I am going to take some time off, I will reflect and process it all. My final words about my final Late Late Show are ‘Thank You’.”