RTÉ HAS REVEALED that the theme for this year’s Late Late Toy Show is The Wizard of Oz.

The theme will be accompanied by an impressive yellow brick road/Emerald City set put together by RTÉ production designers.

Speaking at a preview in the Late Late Show studio, Ryan Tubridy said: “I can’t remember the last time I was this excited for the Toy Show given the previews I have had of it this week. It is the thing that is close to the hearts of everyone who will be watching.”

As ever, no details pertaining to special guests have been made public ahead of RTÉ’s flagship Christmas show, which drew an average audience of 1.56 million viewers last year.

Tubridy, who is hosting his thirteenth Toy Show, told reporters it was important that the Toy Show feature kids who “haven’t had the luckiest throw of the dice in life.” Though he avoided specifics, Tubridy also said that the show would feature a “flavour” of Ukraine. 

The show will once again run its Toy Show Appeal, which last year raised €6.6million, €1.1million of which was donated by Revolut co-founder Vlad Yatsenko.

As has become the norm for the Toy Show, the live broadcast will be accompanied by Irish Sign Language (ISL) on the RTÉ News channel and RTÉ Player, provided by Amanda Coogan, Jason Maguire and Ciara Grant. The Late Late Toy Show ISL will be available to stream shortly after the live broadcast, according to RTÉ.

RTÉ have also specified that they will provide Audio Description for Blind and Vision Impaired audiences on the Sunday repeat, which will be broadcast at 3.15pm.

The show, which begins at 9.35pm Ireland time, will also be free to stream worldwide using the RTÉ Player. 

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