Friday night’s television face Ryan Tubridy has revealed he plans on quitting the Late Late Show.
Don’t start sweating it yet Late Late lovers, he’s not planning to retire from the show for another three years.
The TV presenter predicted yesterday he would have a shorter stint on the show the RTÉ show than his predecessors Gay Byrne and Pat Kenny.
The 39-year-old also said he would be willing to take another pay-cut next year of it was needed. Just what the top RTÉ guys want to hear…
“I’m hoping to be there for the next three years, and we will see what happens after that,” Tubridy, who is starting his fourth year in the job, told the Irish Independent.
Gay Byrne hosted the show for almost 37 years, while Pat Kenny was in the host’s chair for close to 10 years.
Tubs said he has yet to sign his new contract but confirmed he will be accepting a “30 per cent plus” pay cut. This will see his annual pay packet fall below €373,000.
“I took the pay cut because I am a realist and know exactly where we are as a country in general, and as an organisation in particular.
“I would roll with [an extra pay-cut] entirely. I think presenters are very generously paid, and that’s the way it has been in recent years. I think the cuts are reflecting a more realistic approach to the payment of people like me. I would do whatever is required.”
The new series of the Late Late show kicked off with a bang last Friday as the show saw a ratings boost with star guest Katie Taylor. More than 713,000 viewers tuned in to watch the show.
Boxing champ Katie Taylor with her fellow Olympians on last Friday’s Late Late Show.
Tubridy left Miriam O’Callaghan’s Saturday Night With Miriam standing as the host swooped in last minute and secured Katie Taylor for the Friday night show. It is understood producers on Miriam’s show felt they had secured the interview, only for the Late Late to clinch the prize at the last minute.
“It was a great result for us and I was very happy with the groundwork that the team did in securing that story,” said Tubridy.
“I think the Late Late Show has the reputation for being the programme on which people come to say ‘hello’, ‘goodbye’ and ‘thank you very much’.
“It did extremely well for us at the box office on Friday night and was a good way to start the new season.”
“They [Miriam’s Saturday night show] had good nights throughout the summer, and hopefully they will have many more, but we’re looking after the autumn and into the winter.”
We say nothing beats the Late Late on a winter’s Friday evening…
