Applications for tickets to be in the audience for the Late Late Show Toy Show have surpassed 90,000 for the first time.
In addition to the audience members, more than 5,000 acts from across Ireland have applied to participate in the programme.
The application process opened last Friday ahead of the show which will air on RTÉ One on Friday, November 29th and perenially rates as one of the most viewed shows on Irish television every year.
Host Ryan Tubridy said he was “gobsmacked” by the response which has exceeded other years.
“It just gets bigger and bigger, everyone seems to want to be there. I think it’s also in response to how warm and kind and inclusive the show is,” he said.
“People want a piece of that pie and I don’t blame them, it’s the most wonderful cauldron to be in and the most wonderful time of the year.
“If I wasn’t doing what I do, I would also be among the 100,000 applicants for tickets because it’s the best show in town.”
That inclusivity, however, does not extend to children who cannot be in the Toy Show audience because of health and safety concerns.
On Monday next, a selection of the acts who have applied to perform, whittled down by the Toy Show team, will travel to Cork to audition.
‘Bang of tinsel’
Further auditions for selected hopefuls will be held in Dublin next week.
The Ryan Tubridy Show on RTÉ Radio 1 will be broadcast live from Cork city next Monday morning.
“Thanks to the wonderful technology applying online has never been easier, and also coming to see us has never been easier as we hit the road,” Tubridy said.
“We have auditions in Cork next Monday, which we are extremely excited about because that allows us to meet the children who are hungry to be part of the show. Some will come and make it, and some won’t...but it’s all just fun.
“The train leaves the station essentially this week, with all the audience applicants and all the auditions. There’s a fierce bang of tinsel in the air and we are getting ready to do this.”
Over the four weeks since Ryan’s first callout on September 6th, the Late Late Toy Show team has made its way through thousands of applications.
During the upcoming auditions in Cork and Dublin, the team will see over 100 acts, who have been whittled down from applicants.
Applications for audience tickets for The Late Late Toy Show can be found at rte.ie/latelate.
