The theme of this year’s Late Late Toy Show has been revealed as host Ryan Tubridy and a tribe of young performers and toy testers get ready to go wild for the biggest night on the TV calendar.

After a year where children were restricted in play and socialising with their friends, they will get a very special invitation to step into the sun as the theme of this year’s Late Late Toy Show takes inspiration from the Disney classic, The Lion King. The night looks set to live the Hakuna Matata ‘no worries’ philosophy with children ruling the jungle in the studio and at home, for the most exciting TV event of the year.

The toy testers and performers will flock from all corners of Ireland, with the youngest cub aged just four years old, as they prepare for the most magical of nights.

As always, Ryan and The Late Late Toy Show elves will have a few surprise delicacies up their sleeves that will be sure to make you roar! There’s more to see than can ever be seen, as they have been on the pulse of the latest and greatest, and hottest new toys in the kingdom. We hear whispers that Fidgets, Pop-its and a Labradoodle called Moji are among the top toys on this year’s toy list.

Ryan Tubridy said: “Everyone has been locked up for a long time and that’s why we need to head out into the wild and join our friends in The Lion King. This isn’t just a theme; it is a movement. Every child can leave the house and leave the room and leave the kitchen and roam free in the jungle of their families because they are the boss tonight. So, it is the future, it is wild, and it is beautiful. Join us in the jungle, we will see you tonight.”

It’s a problem-free philosophy, the show will feature not one, but two musical performances from Ryan.

This year’s magical Lion King inspired set was created by the RTÉ production Design Department, led by Marcella Power. RTÉ’s Costume and Make-Up departments, with costume led by Brigette Horan, have also been busily prepping the cast ahead of Friday’s extravaganza. The show is produced and guided into the light by Hilary Jones and Kate Olohan and directed by Alan Byrne.

Brigette Horan, Head of RTE Costume Department said: “Viewers can expect a magical fun-filled Toy Show with wonderful children wearing magical costumes. The vision and thought process behind this year’s designs by costume designer Stacey Gallagher and the Costume Design Team was to dramatically create nature at its best, bursting with colour and texture and delivering costume structures that will move effortlessly and comfortably for the children to perform and depict the characters. Enjoy the magic.”
 
The Toy Show Appeal
The Toy Show Appeal is back for its second year running, which last year raised a staggering €6.6mn of much-needed funds for Irish charities where an estimated 635,690 children and their families will benefit from a huge variety of different support organisations.
 
Donations can be made via www.rte.ie/toyshowappeal and we are pleased to this year to welcome proceeds through the Donations tab on the Revolut app which will go live on the night.
 
RTÉ Player
Watch Free Worldwide
For many lions and lionesses at home, both big and small, it has now become an annual family tradition to nestle around the television where the nation comes together to create new memories and have no worries as The Late Late Toy Show 2021 kicks off festive cheer tonight. Last year, our global audience tuned in from over 100 countries to watch the spectacle including Irish hot spots like London, New York, Boston, Dubai and Sydney. 

So, no matter who you are, which country you are from, experience the love tonight for free on RTÉ One & RTÉ Player at 9:35 pm, where everyone is invited.

This year we will have Amanda Coogan, Aisling Dragoi and Sarah Jane O’Regan presenting The Late Late Toy Show live with Irish Sign Language (ISL) on the RTÉ News channel and RTÉ Player. The Late Late Toy Show ISL will be available for catch-up after the live broadcast. 

Audio Description (AD) will also be available for the repeat on Monday night, and catch-up on RTÉ Player after the repeat. A fully accessible version (with subtitles, ISL and AD) will be broadcast on Wednesday 1st December, which will also be available on catch-up.
 
RTÉ Social Media
The Late Late Toy Show excitement kicks off live on social media tonight with up-to-the-minute backstage updates and the biggest moments from the show on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and TikTok. To join in the fun follow #LateLateToyShow #TotallyWorthit, @LateLateRTE on Instagram, @RTELateLateShow on Twitter, @TheLateLateShow on Facebook and @latelaterte on TikTok. 

Irish TikTok sensation Miriam Mullins will bring viewers on an exclusive behind the scenes look on TikTok at the final preparations for this year’s show as Ryan and his jungle friends get ready to go live as the nation comes together.