The Late Late Toy Show smashed the ratings scale to come out on top as Ireland’s most watched TV show in 2022.
The annual show gained 1.6 million views over the weekend. The programme also gained international recognition, receiving over 300,000 streams on the RTE Player.
Ryan and the children’s antics were viewed in countries as far away as Jamaica, Bolivia, Qatar, and Ukraine. The programme featured amusing and heartwarming appearances from a range of children, including aspiring stand up comic Emmie and budding pilot Aron Gibbons.
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Tubs said of this year’s instalment: “I just got the sense that people wanted a night off from reality, they wanted a night to smile, laugh and cry together.”
He continued: “People of all ages got something from this bizarre, beautiful show so I really want to say thank you to everyone for putting it together, for being part of it, and for watching it. Happy Christmas to one and all.”
The show’s charitable efforts also took off this year through the Toy Show Appeal. This charitable drive took off after RTE enabled viewers to donate through Revolut in 2021.
Figures show that €3.8 million was raised for the appeal, which will be given to a range of children’s charities across Ireland including Barnardos, the Jack and Jill Foundation and the Irish Wheelchair Association.
The show has also gained huge traction on social media. The hashtag ‘Late Late Toy Show’ received approximately 39 million views on TikTok in advance of the highly anticipated programme.
RTE counted catch up figures from repeat versions of the show on Saturday and Sunday in the final figure. There were approximately 1.3 million live viewers on Friday night, while a further 300,000 watched the show on RTE +1 and on catch up.
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