RTÉ One hosting nine seasons as Late Late host he stepped down to host a new political programme. In September 2009, Ryan Tubridy took over as host. In its early years the show was known for its controversies. Most Irish chat shows continue to use a similar formula to The Late Late Show, most shows are live and contain a mix of serious and entertaining interviews. In the late 1970s and early 1980s the biggest rival to The Late Late Show was The Live Mike, hosted by Mike Murphy. The show was a mix of comedy sketches and interviews. Mike Murphy decided
The Late Late Toy Show for a 30-second slot during the Show. The Toy Show was streamed live on the International RTÉ Player free around the world. For the 4th year running, TV3 showed a rival version of the toy show. The show was presented by Lucy Kennedy and Dustin the Turkey. The show called the "TV3 Toy Show" was also shown on 2 December at 8pm and was 30 minutes long. The theme this year was "The Jungle Book". 320 children from all over Ireland will be taking part in the show with 72 who will performing with Ryan Tubridy in the show's opening