‘There's no place like home’ is the message at the heart of tonight's Late Late Toy Show as Ryan Tubridy and his team take on the hit classic ‘The Wizard of Oz’.
All roads lead to the yellow brick road tonight as RTE’s studio has been transformed into the Emerald City with host Tubridy and a new bunch of children and munchkins alike set to head off to see the wonderful Wizard of Oz in tonight’s highly anticipated show.
And speaking behind the scenes on set yesterday, the host admitted he is 'nervous' ahead of the TV extravaganza as he has lined it up to be bigger and better than ever before.
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“There is really something special happening in that studio, it is so magical, so beautiful, it is so mischievous, it is perfect,” he said.
Somewhere over the rainbow escapism, love, courage, friendship and unity will feature as key undertones of this year’s themed show.
As the country face a tough winter with the cost of living crisis putting stress on many families tuning in tonight, the radio presenter, 49, said the show is more needed than ever, and will be ‘peppered’ with elements to reflect real life hardships at the moment.
On the thought process behind the theme, he explained: “Around July or August we got to thinking the past few years we have been trying to gauge the mood of the country, and with that in mind we thought that in July by the time we get to November there will be probably be a problem in terms of cost of living and bills and so forth and so we projected that into the theme and with that in mind we said we would go back to basics.
“And so the Wizard of Oz is pure Christmas to me. And hopefully to you. It is that dream of no place like home, it’s simplicity, it’s nostalgia, it’s colourful, it’s romantic in its ideals, and we think it is perfect.
He went on: “And the idea of ‘no place like home’ being that feel for the show being that kind of feel for the show because despite everything, in terms of the Toy Show, all roads lead to the couch really and unfortunately there aren’t too many TV shows left where people will put their phones down for a couple of hours and leave their bedrooms or kitchens to join everyone else.
“So yeah, we are following the yellow brick road, all the way, that’s the plan.”
Tubridy was left ‘flabbergasted’ as last year’s Lion King inspired show made Irish TV history with over two million tuning in.
The jungle themed 2021 show proved to be a roaring success for viewers at home and abroad, raising a staggering €6,601,895 million for The Toy Show Appeal, with viewers watching from 150 countries.
Asked if he is feeling the pressure to pull off another record breaker tonight, the veteran host admitted he is nervous but not worried about trying to outdo his previous work.
During a behind the scenes tour of the Oz themed set, Tubs explained: “I don’t compete with myself if that makes sense but I always strive to be the best with the show.
“So last year we said that was great, and now we are going ‘what can we do to not so much make it better, but different.
“The answer tonight and today will be when you see the set."
Better known as the ‘Toy man’ to the kids of Ireland who are preparing to tune in to his every word tonight, the father-of-two said that is where the greater expectations come to play.
“It is one of the greatest, weirdest, gifts i’ve ever been given,” he added.
“And there are expectations when you are the ‘Toy Man’ and it is huge so this show is really important to me, to us, and the children in the country, and more recently people are suggesting that the adults are enjoying it as much as the children.
“Sometimes the humour, you know i’m a big fan of Shrek, and sometimes the humour reaches adults, and kids go ‘that’s shiny’ and the adults go ‘that’s clever’.
“So that happens as well and I love that. You know the eyebrow gets arched, and you go ‘let's keep going’.
This year’s show will see dreams come true as it boasts a huge cast with more than 200 young performers and talented toy testers taking part - hailing from all over Ireland with the youngest little munchkin aged just four.
“The show is peppered with stories and children and moments that reflect where we are," the host revealed.
"You will see a flavour of Ukraine within the show, a flavour of people who have got a bad throw of the dice in life, who tend not to talk about it in a very ostentatious way because we want to protect the children.
“Because when you are in the Toy Show, it doesn’t matter, it doesn’t know your wallet, background, anything, they just wants to know if you are a good kid, a happy kid, a nice kid, it is about if you are kind.
“And that’s all that matters. We don't care where you are from or what you look like. Just be a good young person example for the kids in Ireland.
“I love the kids who are a little bit off the beaten track who are just a little but sometimes daft, and who don’t give a damn that they are on TV, and who are utterly impressed by me, so yeah, basically me as a child."
And despite 14 years at the helm, he said he is still 'terrified' by the unpredictable nature of the live event.
“The show itself is utterly unpredictable. And I don’t know what is coming next. It is cutting the breaks of the car and rolling down a very long hill, it is terrifying.”
The host noted how much the show has evolved from a ‘toy show’ to a ‘childhood show’ since he took the reins.
“I think it has gotten more under the skin of childhood,” he explained.
“I think for years it was the Toy Show and now it is the childhood show. Suddenly the toys became a bit boring and the kids became more interesting and had these wonderful stories.”
“It has evolved, definitely.
“I inherited very much a Toy Show. But I think we have made it very much a childhood show. And I really believe that the children that are seen on the show should be the kid that doesn’t always get picked for the team. I think that should be important. It’s not the kid that is constantly on the phone or looking for likes or followers, it might be the child that doesn’t look like everyone else.
“And they are my favourite because they are more representative of the real world.
“I become nine tomorrow on the Toy Show. You become nine years old.
“It is the weirdest thing, it is like that thing with Tom Hanks in Big.
“You put on a jumper with baby Yoda on it and it becomes like an invisibility cloak, and you become the character and you live it and you just lean the hell into it and roll with it. It is a joy."
But as many at home are still tuning in for the gadgets and games on display on the night, the presenter said he is making an effort this year to strike a balance between both.
He said: “Because I know there are some people at home going ‘just show us the toys, do what it says on the tin.
“But you get so caught up with the kids.”
Meanwhile, whilst Ryan's opening sequence performance has fast becoming one of the most eagerly anticipated parts of the show, the host said he has taken a back seat more so this year, with the child stars set to take centre stage tonight.
Teasing what to expect, he joked: “Well, it’s out of tune. And I know what they’ve done, they’ve done something really clever and said, we don’t want to put too many demands on your time, in other words ‘you are so bad we are going to shorten everything, your dancing now will be walk over there and wave and let the children do the rest. Just because we want to mind your health.
“It’s because I can’t dance, isn't it,’ I said, he joked.
“And then they said ‘what about the singing’ because I love singing, mostly Karaoke after a few 7ups and I love Frank Sinatra, and there is a song in the middle of the show which is pure Christmas, I think the Toy Show needed a bit more Christmas so we have this song, that lovely Bing Crosby vibe in the middle of the show where I’m going to appear and emerge into a winter wonderland.
“And then the opening number, as I say, my role has been reduced to one of such insignificance, if you blink long enough, you’ll miss it. But it is all in. I’m all in on this. I’ll do whatever they require. You have to buy in fully, and that’s why i’m excited and nervous. Really nervous.”
The Late Late Toy Show airs tonight Friday, November 25 at 9.35pm on RTÉ One and will be available to watch worldwide for free on RTÉ Player.
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