Christmas with Oliver Callan on RTÉ

– Siobhán McSweeney, Rory McIlroy, Elon Musk, Catherine Connolly, Jim Gavin, Ivan Yates and Traitor Paudie Moloney lead new characters for Callan Kicks the Year 2025 on RTÉ One and RTÉ Player

– Over on RTÉ Radio 1 Callan’s Christmas Eve will take over the airwaves as the festive season well and truly lands 

The annual satire tradition returns with its biggest, boldest roast yet as Callan kicks 2025 right where it hurts in a brand new two-part festive Callan Kicks the Year 2025.

Callan Kicks the Year dips into the maddest moments at home and abroad this Christmas, from Bezos’ wedding and Jim Gavin’s rent to royal scandals and Catherine Connolly’s keepy-uppies everything worth laughing or crying about in 2025 features in this essential look back.

This year’s sketches include the definitive send-up of every Irish New Year’s celebration. Two kick-filled episodes featuring Callan’s spot-on impressions of Mary Lou, Micheál and Simon, alongside Catherine Connolly, Joanne and Vogue, the Healy Raes, Kneecap, Elon Musk, Francis Brennan and all your favourite targets.

No news is safe, from presidential implosions to the folk songs Irish bands keep putting out. Callan Kicks the Year 2025, a festive must-watch for anyone who’d rather laugh than cry their way into the New Year.

Callan Kicks the Year 2025, episode One: Tuesday 30 December, 9:30pm on RTÉ One & RTÉ Player and episode Two: Wednesday 31 December, 9:20pm on RTÉ One & RTÉ Player.

In the spirit of the season, Oliver Callan and guests will also host a very special Callan’s Christmas Eve on RTÉ Radio 1 (9–11am). Live from Studio 1 in the RTÉ Radio Centre, he’ll be joined by special guests and a live audience of over 100 people.

The show will feature Killian Donnelly performing a special rendition of Bring Him Home from Les Misérables, music from The Line Up Choir known for their work with major artists, and a mini-radio play of The Gate’s A Christmas Carol starring Emmet Kirwan and Lloyd Hutchinson. The Swing Cats will perform Christmas favourites, and there will be guest chats with Miriam O’Callaghan, musician Orla Gartland and bestselling author Andrea Mara about her hit adaptation All Her Fault. The talented Dream Gun Film Reads will perform Home Alone in three minutes, with additional surprises and audience interaction throughout the broadcast.

Oliver Callan said:
“Reviewing the year through comedy is an accidental tradition for six years running now that is mahoosive fun to make. Especially discovering that Traitor King Paudie is such a fan of Callan’s Kicks that he agreed to star in a sketch. For anyone who’s been mithered by 2025, this is the place where you can relieve all your angst at Michael Lowry’s fingers, Jim Gavin’s manic hand movements or Elon Musk’s ick. And let’s hope 2026 is only half as bad as this year’s been. Radio 1′ s live Christmas Eve show is a huge tradition for 50 years and it’s exciting to have this chance to host two hours of entertainment and keep the spirit lit. Setting it in the concert studio of the historic radio centre means we can use a full grand piano to accompany stars like West End sensation Killian Donnelly and others on the day. The Gate Theatre is bringing us classic Dickens, my favourite ghost story ever. There will be Home Alone themed comedy, some festive Patrick Kavanagh will feature as per my Monaghan mandatory duties, and the voices of Callan’s Kicks will have to make an appearance too.”

-ENDS-