The Late Late Show is one of the most popular talk shows on television, and with the departure of veteran host, Ryan Tubridy, speculations over who will fill his shoes have been rife. As the search for a new host intensifies, numerous names have been thrown into the ring, sending bookmakers into a betting frenzy. However, in recent days, bookies have been forced to suspend betting on the next Late Late Show host after a surge in bets on a particular individual. This sudden increase in interest has left many fans curious as to who the front-runner might be and what has caused such a dramatic shift in the odds.
Ladbrokes Suspends Betting on Next Host for “The Late Late Show”
After a flurry of bets and recent news reports, bookmaker Ladbrokes has suspended betting on who will be the next host of “The Late Late Show”. Claire Byrne had been the red-hot favourite for the role at 1/3, ahead of Sarah McInerney at 3/1 and Angela Scanlon at 5/1. Nicola McGeady of Ladbrokes told SundayWorld.com: “All the signs are pointing in the direction of Claire Byrne when it comes to The Late Late Show. Along with news reports, we witnessed a rush of bets in favour of Byrne first thing this morning despite her short odds. As a result, we have decided to suspend betting on the market for the time being”.
Ryan Tubridy announced last month that he would be stepping down at the end of his 14th year in the role and handing the mic over to someone else. Since then, a whole host of household names have been linked to the most prestigious job in Irish television. Miriam O’Callaghan was forced to release a statement two weeks ago announcing that she was not planning on putting her name forward after many believed she would be the ideal candidate.
Other celebrities linked to the role included Jennifer Zamparelli, Baz Ashmawy, Brendan O’Connor, Doireann Garrihy and Kaite Hannon. An RTE insider last month believed that the format would get a shakeup in September and that we could see two presenters take the role on, but as yet, that has not been confirmed.
Byrne, who just started presenting a new quiz show called Ireland’s Smartest over the weekend, has proven to have a good mix of heavy and light debate attributes. She has been a firm favourite across radio and TV in recent years, making her a highly likely candidate.
Tubridy’s Long Run
Tubridy had been the host of the iconic show since 2009, having taken over from veteran broadcaster Pat Kenny. His lengthy stint made him one of the longest-serving hosts of “The Late Late Show”, with only Gay Byrne hosting the show for longer. Byrne was the original host of the show when it first aired in 1962.
“The Late Late Show” has been an iconic and long-standing programme in Irish television that has seen an array of celebrities and politicians come under scrutiny over its almost 60-year history. Tubridy has been known for tackling hard-hitting issues on the show, but equally not shying away from interviewing some of the biggest names in entertainment.
While it is never easy to follow in the footsteps of someone widely seen as a stalwart of the industry, Byrne has proven to be a household name in her own right over the years. Her hosting of televised presidential and general election debates has proven she is more than capable of hosting a programme of this stature. It appears that this is a given, given the recent betting activities. All that remains is for an announcement to be officially made.
With bookies suspending betting on the next Late Late Show host, it looks like there might be a clear front-runner emerging. While the entertainment world waits with bated breath for the official announcement, the surge in bets has certainly added an extra level of intrigue to the proceedings. Whether it’s an inside scoop or simply a flurry of rumours and speculation that have caused the shift, we’ll have to wait and see. But one thing is for sure – the race for the Late Late Show throne is heating up, and we can’t wait to find out who comes out on top.
