The audience returned to the RTE Late Late Show on Friday night with Tubs and viewers delighted with the return of normality.
Gifts were being handed out early on in another throwback to pre-pandemic times but one thing that definitely wouldn't have been seen pre-pandemic was mask wearing.
The majority of the audience donned black face masks as they sat in close proximity to one another.
Jimmy Stafford tweeted: "Thousands in night clubs /bars/ restaurants tonight with no masks ! #LateLateShow #latelate all masked… except Tubs and guests … schools all masked .. makes no sense anymore, maybe science will explain it all."
Another tweeter, who said they'll be in the audience in the coming weeks, asked: "Is it a personal option to wear masks if your in the audience if the #latelate? I’m going to a gig next month is this mandatory or wha if it’s indoors."
But those questioning the mask wearing may not have read the government's rules on when you should wear a covering.
While many Covid rules were scrapped, cinemas, theatres and museums are all places where people should still wear a mask - with the Late Late show likely falling under theatres.
It is also recommended that they are worn in crowded places.
But while some complained, many were just happy to see a crowd back, Ian O'Connell tweeted: "What a sight it is to see a full audience crowd on The Late Late show."
Another said: "Pain in my face seeing people complaining about others wearing masks and insulting them with name calling. Ever heard of personal choice. People can wear a mask if they wish to and shouldn't be subjected to name calling by those that'd prefer they didn't. Just shut up."
Speaking on his RTE 1 radio show on Friday ahead of the show, host Ryan Tubridy said he was nervous and excited to welcome the audience back.
He said: “I’m very excited today tonight on the Late Late Show we have our biggest audience attendance for two years.
"We will have just shy of 200 souls looking at us in the crowd.
“I am nervous, I am excited and I am a little bit emotional about it.”
“Because the people that you see in front of you are, to me, a representative sample of people at home. And there are hundreds of thousands of people watching, we hope, and we know thankfully.
“And equally they are represented by the people, and everyone dresses up and makes an effort and looks great and in great form and it is an extraordinary vibe in that studio when there are people there."
