It's been another great Late Late Toy Show. We look back on some of the best moments from the Home Alone-themed televisual treat
1. The opening number
The 2024 Toy Show really hit the ground running, opening with a pastiche of the start of Home Alone before a medley of Run Rudolph Run, Carol of the Bells and Rocking Around the Christmas Tree.
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"I know. I have no idea how I'm getting out of here either," said host Patrick Kielty - decked out like a Christmas tree - when the music stopped.
"Céad Míle Fáilte, hello and welcome to The Late Late Toy Show, coming to you live from Dublin. Wherever you’re watching around the world tonight, thanks so much for joining us."
2. Dory meets Jazzy
Dory from Tallaght was Patrick’s first helper of the night – and boy, was she in for a surprise!
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She was there with her toy Pet Store, but what she didn’t know was what Patrick had in store for her. After playing some music by Jazzy and chatting to Dory about the Crumlin chart-topper, Patrick then said: "I decided to invite her here to meet you."
Down the stairs walked the most popular Irish female artist in the world on Spotify to greet a delighted Dory, whose jaw almost hit the floor in awe of her musical hero.
3. Ollie plays drum roll for the Toy Show Appeal
When Patrick introduced 10-year-old Ollie from Co Meath, straight away viewers knew there was something In the Air Tonight.
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Because that’s the song intro he played! And Patrick - now in a gorilla suit - had a chat with him, explaining that he’s a member of Blast Music Academy, where he has a band called REO. Speedwagon? Oreo?
Ollie then led the band into a rousing version of Thunderstruck by AC/DC and the Toy Show Appeal was up and running.
4. Patrick Kielty meets Star
As part two of the Toy Show got underway, Patrick was handed a very special guest - a little puppy called Star.
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Patrick explained: "Now, Star is a puppy in training with Autism Assistance Dogs Ireland, which is one of the many beneficiaries of the Toy Show Appeal and, one day, Star will become a vital part of a family supporting a child with autism. Dogs like Star empower children, giving them a sense of independence and transforming their lives.
"And Star is here to give us the first Toy Show Appeal total," Patrick added.
Star then told Patrick the amazing news that a massive €1, 225,000 had already been raised.
5. Brian Óg is destined for big things
11-year-old Brian Óg from Tyrone commanded the studio like a pro and looks destined for a telly career, if telly still exists after his first term as Ireland's youngest-ever Taoiseach.
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He showed off a charming toy Gekko, played a bit of footie with Patrick, and then blasted out a karaoke version of Wagon Wheel.
6. Leo and his hat
Everybody loves to hear a seanchaí in action, and Patrick introduced this year’s under-12 All Ireland Storytelling Fleadh winner.
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From County Leitrim, Leo put in a superb performance with a tale about the many uses of a hat.
Naturally, he performed wearing a hat!
"We loved that," Patrick told Leo.
7. Holly and Phoebe are the business!
Best pals Holly and Phoebe aren’t just BFFs. Patrick introduced them to the Toy Show, saying: "Welcome, from Waterford, our very own Toy Show entrepreneurs... Holly and Phoebe."
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The girls work together making - what they call - "blind bags", consisting of bracelet makers, stickirolls, squishies and magic markers.
Patrick asked them about their shop, called PHEZ, which stands for Phoebe, Holly, Ella and Zara.
They then took Patrick’s BBF quiz and won a great prize - a trip to Universal Orlando in Flordia for them and their families. Wow!
8. The 32-county parade
In a Toy Show first, all 32 counties were represented during a very special "roll of honour" which included singers, dancers, tractors, bikes, trucks, handstands, scooters, ponies, tunes by the Saw Doctors and The 2 Johnnies, a BMW, karate moves, a drummer, a unicorn jeep, hurling and ribbon skills, a pogo stick and a good ol' sing-song!
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9. The trolly Toy dash for Crumlin Children's Hospital
Kirsty was one of the singers on the Toy Show, and her mother had written to The Late Late Toy Show about her, explaining that Kirsty's little sister Lauren had been in and out of Crumlin Children's Hospital recently.
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She said how brave Lauren has been but also what an amazing help Kirsty is to her.
Patrick then revealed that Olympians Phil Healy and Sharlene Mawdsley would go with her to Smyths Toys Superstore for a trolly dash to collect toys for Crumlin Hospital.
10. Kevin the kid farmer from Leitrim
"We couldn’t have a Home Alone Toy Show without an actual Kevin," Patrick told the audience. "And this is Kevin, aged 11 from Co Leitrim."
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Kevin was there to talk about a toy farm, but before that, Kevin said to Patrick: "I have a wee present for you. Free range eggs from county Leitrim... a half dozen eggs"
Patrick opened the carton. Much to his surprise, he noticed something was amiss. "There's only five in there," he said.
Quick as a flash, Kevin replied: "That's a Leitrim half-dozen."
11. Liam meets Johnny Sexton
During a group discussion about books for Christmas, Liam from Dublin was raving about one called The Story of Irish Rugby.
Patrick asked Liam who his favourite rugby player was, he immediately said "Johnny Sexton".
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Patrick then got Liam to throw a rugby ball at a cut-out of Johnny Sexton. "Why are we throwing to this [cardboard] Johnny Sextion, when we could be... Is there any chance of getting Johnny Sexton?"
You can guess the rest. Liam got to throw the ball to the real Johnny!
12. All Abiha Wants for Christmas is Mariah
Everybody loves a happy ending - and the Toy Show always delivers.
Friday's extravaganza ended with, as Patrick described her, "a very special person", the one and only Mariah Carey.
In a video message, the singing superstar wished everyone watching the Toy Show "a wonderful Christmas".
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As Patrick said: "How cool is that?"
Then Patrick introduced the show's closer, a girl called Abiha, to sing Mariah Carey's All I Want for Christmas is You to close this year's Toy Show
But before she performed, Patrick told her: "We told Mariah’s people at Sony Music about you and they were so impressed that they would like to fly you and your mum to Las Vegas to go and see Mariah singing herself."
Beat that, Santa!
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