What we learned from the 2020 Late Late Toy Show
The Late Late Toy Show is beamed onto Irish screens once a year and is usually met with a mixture of cringe and joy by all of those who watch it. Despite how you feel about the show, it has no doubt become a part of Irish culture. I once watched it while studying abroad with a few Australians and they didn’t really know what to make of it or why adults continued to tune in every year. I didn’t really know what to tell them other than for us Irish it marks the beginning of Christmas.
With 2020 being a year where everything was cancelled, the Late Late Toy Show going ahead was at least a small thing that we could all share together. With adults now unable to make any “better plans” for the last Friday night of November, it seemed like the whole country would be fixated on RTE1 come 9.35pm.
Before the big show arrived, there was the matinee - The National address from An Taoiseach Michael Martin. He told us all in a long winded way that restaurants, hairdressers, gyms and retail etc would all be opening up again next week. Inter-county house visits would soon be back on the menu too and you’d be forgiven for getting excited despite Martin sounding like an exhausted priest giving the last rights.
The message was clear though, we’d be allowed some freedoms for Christmas and the Toy Show was about to start. All seemed well with the world again and the Toy Show would set Christmas in motion. So what (if anything) did we learn from this years Toy Show? Let’s have a look…
Ryan Tubridy is still a massively awkward host
If we thought Michael Martin was stiff, enter Ryan Tubridy dressed as Fantastic Mr Fox. The opening number was Bjork’s Oh So Quiet and it was very well done to be fair as the Billy Barry kids kicked into gear for their annual showcase. When this settled down though and Ryan began his puns, it was painfully obvious that without a live audience to cover for his dead chat, we’d be in for a long night. Within the first hour he’d nearly killed two kids with shake and vac, cursed at a bottle of Fanta and given us a dose of nightmare fuel with his attempt at a TikTok dance.
When he’s not cutting them off or talking over them, it’s obvious that the kids love Tubridy which is what it’s all about really. He was clearly moved by some of their stories and the kindness of the public when it came to donating to the Toy Show Fund. By the end of the show Tubridy is the country’s messiah again and we can’t imagine having anyone else in the role…Except maybe Amanda Coogan? I’ll start the petition.
This year’s theme was actually Covid-19
We were told that this year’s theme was the wonderful world of Roald Dahl. The actual theme running through the show though was Covid-19. Kids were making light hearted quips about keeping the distance, sanitiser and 14 day isolation periods. Any of the Covid conspiracy heads in Ireland would have been tearing their tin foil hats off as child Vet Saoirse noted that her dog would need to get the “Viser Vaccine”as soon as possible. Children tend to adapt to things very quickly though and you could tell from each child that they’re probably handling this year a lot better than most of us which was uplifting in a strange kind of way.
We need to keep an eye on Sam the camper kid
With every Toy Show, there’s always a few kids who seem to shrink on the big night. A child who despite the many rehearsals and run throughs, goes absolutely rogue. Apparently thousands of children apply each year to be on the show yet we were served up some of the strangest few minutes of TV from Ireland’s Bear Grylls - Sam. Sam didn’t want to be there and gave Ryan absolutely nothing from the off. He started making fire before quickly giving up, showed Ryan a clay portrait he’d made in the hosts “likeness”all before chopping up leaves at an angle for apparently no reason.
It was quite magical at times
For every weird and uncomfortable segment, there’s one or two that do pluck at the heart strings. Whether it was the snooker obsessed auld lad trapped in a child’s body or the Temple Street kids joining a dance number via “ToyTok” screens. You can’t argue that certain parts of the show were brilliantly thought out! Gary Barlow duetting with kids around the world and Dermot Kennedy joining young Michael in a surprise duet were two of the best musical moments that got everyone talking online.
Kids are very good at making people cry
There’s bound to be at least one child on the Toy Show each year that makes people (not me though) shed a few tears while watching. This year there were plenty of children with inspirational stories. Whether it was Saoirse who had her leg amputated due to a tumor or Adam with his brittle bones, both of these children were full of character and fun more than anything else. Their experiences over the last year would make the inconveniences of Covid regulations seem insignificant. Watching Adam’s face as he sent Ryan into space in a cardboard spaceship or when he met his favourite hospital porter was arguably the highlight of the show. Virtual hugs all round <3
The show seems to get longer every year
At just over two hours, the show shouldn’t feel as long as it is. I used to barely stay awake for the the whole thing as child, and now I find myself in the same position. By the time Aidan was wowing us with his Thomas The Tank Engine knowledge, my eyes were getting heavy. This years show did have enough to keep anyone interested but by the end of it I was hardly taking it all in. “Rock is the best medicine” was like a dream and if it wasn’t for Noah’s extreme excitement over his message from The Edge, I’d have been out cold.
In a year where we’ve needed a good Christmas more than ever, the Toy Show for many will signify the beginning of Christmas 2020. The show’s greater focus on the children and their stories over the toys this year definitely made it more suitable for an audience that has been through a lot. The 6 million euro raised for the Toy Show fund will also do a lot of good for those who need it most. With the country opening up next week for the month of December at least, here’s hoping it has set the tone for a Christmas we’ll remember for all the right reasons.