RTE could reportedly consider a rotating line-up of presenters with Patrick Kielty’s future as host still unconfirmed a month before the new season gets underway
With Patrick Kielty’s future on The Late Late Show still undecided, questions are being asked as to who could take over as host of the hit RTE show.
And in a shock twist, presenters Kieran Cuddihy, Oliver Callan, Maura Derrane, Muireann O’Connell and Dermot Whelan are tipped to be given a month each as hosts.
RTÉ ‘s former commercial director Willie O’Reilly has revealed he believes the show could try a variety of presenters in a bid to find the right fit if a deal is not struck with Patrick Kielty soon.
The show’s team is due back to work next month to begin work on the 64th season of the long-running chat show, RSVP Live reports.
And Willie told The Irish Sun, he believes time is running out, with show bosses now under serious pressure to figure out a solution.
“The Late Late Show is coming back shortly and still no one knows who’s presenting. RTE are really sailing close to the edge now”, he told The Irish Sun.
“They’re in very dangerous waters without a Late Late host. Both the public and advertisers could lose faith in the programme.”
Patrick Kielty had been on a three-year deal with RTE, earning €250,000 for each series. However, he still has not signed on for a new contract.
RTE’s director general has previously said he would “love” to keep Patrick Kielty as the host of The Late Late Show, as he defended extra payments to the star.
Patrick was paid an additional €23,980 across 2024 and 2025 as he presented additional programmes beyond his standard contract.
RTE and Kielty had said his pay was €250,000. However, he was paid €266,323 in 2025 and €257,657 in 2024.
The national broadcaster said this was because it “required” Kielty to present “some additional programmes beyond his standard contract”.
Mr Bakhurst has previously said no one at RTE should earn more than he does, and there has been speculation that Kielty, who has finished a contract to present the Late Late Show, is waiting for Mr Bakhurst to receive a salary boost from the Government before negotiating his next term as host.
Asked if he believed this to be the case, Mr Bakhurst said: “I don’t know – I’d love to get that pay deal sorted.”
Additionally, when asked if he wanted Kielty to return to the programme, he said: “I’d love to keep Patrick – he’s great.”
Pressed on whether he had a contingency plan, he told reporters: “I’m not going to say that – it’d drive up the cost of some other contingency plan.”
And now Willie told the publication that he believes the limited time left to find a replacement if Patrick doesn’t sign a new contract could force RTE into giving a number of high-profile presenters their chance to host next season.
He said: “If Patrick isn’t coming back, RTE have very little space to find a new Late Late Show host. It would be a total disaster if RTE panicked and signed the wrong presenter on a three-year contract.
“It would make much more sense to appoint a caretaker host, like a caretaker manager for a soccer team. Or more likely, divide the Late Late next season up between different presenters.
“Let’s say Kieran Cuddihy, Oliver Callan, Maura Derrane, Muireann O’Connell and Dermot Whelan. You give them all a month hosting The Late Late Show. See what works, with the most successful made permanent host the following year.
“You could do that for one season. That would also allow RTE time to conclude a deal for 2028, if the presenter they want isn’t available this September.”
The Late Late Show has only had four main hosts to date – Gay Byrne, Pat Kenny, Ryan Tubridy and Patrick Kielty. If Patrick doesn’t return, it would be the shortest run ever, just three years compared to the 14 years achieved Tubridy, while Pat Kenny hosted for ten years, and Gay Byrne, 37 years.
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