RTÉ’s Late Late Show enjoyed a welcome lift in its ratings last Friday night, thanks to a lighthearted and much-celebrated duet between host Patrick Kielty and Irish music legend Daniel O’Donnell. After weeks of falling viewership, the appearance of one of Ireland’s most beloved performers proved enough to draw in nearly 20,000 more viewers than the week before.
According to RTÉ, the episode attracted an average of 450,000 viewers across RTÉ One and RTÉ One+1, with 38 percent of the available audience tuned in. The show has also been streamed 37,000 times on the RTÉ Player, while social media clips of the evening have spread widely, with the highlight moments quickly going viral.
One of those clips captured Kielty, dressed humorously as Daniel, joining him in a spirited rendition of I Just Want to Dance With You. The performance sent viewers online into a frenzy of affection, with Daniel hailed repeatedly as a “national treasure.” Later in the broadcast, Daniel shared the stage with actor Ricky Tomlinson, whose banjo-related banter with both men racked up more than 680,000 views across RTÉ’s platforms over the weekend. In total, social media interactions connected to the show reached almost 88,000, underlining the cultural buzz the episode generated.
The boost came at a crucial moment for RTÉ, as the Late Late Show has been struggling to maintain the momentum it enjoyed when Kielty first took over from Ryan Tubridy in September. His debut drew a remarkable 830,000 average viewers, peaking at 940,000. But subsequent weeks saw a sharp drop, with audiences falling to 548,000 in week two and continuing to decline steadily since then. Last week’s figure of 432,000 had been particularly troubling for the broadcaster.
Despite the ratings challenges, RTÉ insists that overall feedback on Kielty’s tenure has been encouraging. The network reported receiving 55 positive calls and emails, compared with just 27 negative responses since he took the reins. A spokesperson emphasized that “the majority of feedback received has been positive about Patrick Kielty as the new host of the show,” and noted that no formal complaints have been lodged.
Friday’s surge suggests that pairing Kielty’s humor with iconic guest appearances could be a winning formula as the series looks to steady itself. For Daniel O’Donnell, whose warm presence and enduring popularity have long made him a fixture of Irish entertainment, the reaction reaffirmed his unique ability to bring audiences together.
For fans, the duet was more than a novelty. It was a reminder of Daniel’s enduring charm and Ireland’s fondness for him — a performer whose presence can still turn a television appearance into a national talking point. For RTÉ, it was a welcome reminder that the Late Late Show, even in transition, still has the power to capture the public’s imagination.