While Patrick Kielty has been praised for his first run as Late Late Toy Show host, Newstalk’s Simon Tierney has argued the toys given to children for testing were “too gendered”.
The Late Late Toy Show aired last night, marking Mr Kielty’s first time to don a Christmas jumper and lineup of costumes.
Over €3.1 million was raised for children's charities and community groups by viewers last night.
From one young boy singing ‘Ireland’s Call’ and meeting his hero to Eflish Presley making an appearance, Mr Kielty’s Toy Show debut has seen overall praise.
Newstalk Presenter Simon Tierney had an issue with the toys given to children for testing, however.
“I felt the toy-testing was too gendered,” he told The Anton Savage Show.
“You’ll have the Lottie Dolls being reviewed by a girl, you'll have their rugby stuff with a boy, you'll have the dinosaurs with the two twin brothers, and I would have liked to see that mixed up a little bit more.
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— The Late Late Show (@RTELateLateShow) November 24, 2023
“Boys and girls play with a really wide variety of toys now – there should be boys reviewing teddys and dolls and girls reviewing rugby stuff as well.”
Star of the show
Despite that, Simon said this Toy Show was different from previous years when it comes to the attention placed on the host.
“It started with this kind of big song and dance number as it generally does over the last few years, particularly under Tubridy,” he said.
“But it didn’t crescendo with the host being the star of that – it ended with a little girl up in the air lighting the star at the top of the tree.
Our hero, Sheamie 🦸♀️ ❤️ #LateLateToyShow #RTE pic.twitter.com/wxLmUB2hCu
— The Late Late Show (@RTELateLateShow) November 24, 2023
“It set the tone that the host isn’t the star of this, the kids are the star of this.
"That seemed to be a deliberate move on Patrick Kielty's part, and I think that's a really good way to go from now on."
'Low energy' Toy Show
Broadcaster and writer Barbara Scully doesn’t typically watch The Late Late Toy Show, but agreed with Simon that Mr Kielty brought a new energy to the annual show last night.
“It was quite a different Toy Show,” she said. “It was more of a low energy Toy Show than a high energy kind of mad fest that Tubridy presided over.
“I think that was nice, in view of the week we had, and it was nice he started off by referencing that.”
