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nights in

Sofa Watch: Battle of the bosses as Springsteen and Holohan join Ryan tonight

All you need to know about your Irish and international chat show options.

AS ANOTHER FRIDAY night rolls around, a bit of socially distant light banter might help to break up the monotony. 

With the drop in temperatures, there’s no better night to sit on the couch and watch some quality chat shows. 

Here’s our latest round-up of talk show content from the week and what will be on tonight. There should be plenty here to keep anyone occupied. 

  • The Late Late Show, RTÉ One, 9.35pm  

In some welcome news, one of the country’s favourite musicians (not a biased observation) is set to make an appearance on tonight’s Late Late.

Bruce Springsteen will be chatting about the making of his new album Letter To You, as well as giving his views on the upcoming US election.

Ryan last spoke to Bruce back in 2016 when he travelled to London to interview him about his memoir Born to Run, but this time around we’ll have to settle for a video chat – here’s hoping the dial-up is good in New Jersey. 

Following Bruce’s interview, Heathers will perform their cover of Bruce’s Dancing in the Dark in the studio. 

To bring us back to reality, Chief Medical Officer Dr Tony Holohan will join Ryan in the studio to discuss the latest developments in the battle against Covid-19 in Ireland and what to expect in the locked-down weeks ahead. 

Tubridy will be jumping back on Zoom to chat to Oscar-winner Matthew McConaughey about his new memoir Greenlights, and later to US journalist and former Fox News anchor Megyn Kelly. 

Kelly will be chatting about the state of US politics as well as her infamous bust-up with Donald Trump after moderating the Republican-nominee debate in 2016.   

Later in the programme, Liverpool fan Sean Cox and his wife Martina will be on to talk about the battle to overcome the vicious attack outside Anfield that left Sean fighting for his life.

Tonight’s other musical guest is Something Happens, who will be performing their single Parachute. RTÉ says that they will “be on-site, but not necessarily in The Late Late Show studio” during the performance.

With only the vagueness of the press release to go off, we can be all but certain of the veteran Irish indie rockers sky-diving into Montrose. 

The Late Late Show / YouTube

  • The Graham Norton Show, BBC One, 10.45pm

Continuing the trend of Graham and Ryan doubling up on their guests, both Bruce Springsteen and Matthew McConaughey will be on the BBC tonight. 

The other guests, who didn’t get booked by RTÉ, are Kristin Scott Thomas, promoting the new Netflix adaptation of Rebecca, and comedian Mawaan Rizwan, who is appearing in the new season of Taskmaster.

Tonight’s musical guest is Sam Smith, who also joins Graham for a socially distanced chat.

The Graham Norton Show / YouTube

Across the pond 

Over in the US, Trump’s personal lawyer Rudy Giuliani is doing his best to dismiss a scene in the new Borat film where he is seen reaching into his trousers while lying on a hotel bed, calling it “a complete fabrication”. 

The man at the centre of it all, Sacha Baron Cohen, appeared on Jimmy Kimmel this week as Borat promoting the new film, which is out today.

He makes Jimmy go through a plague questionnaire, a physical examination and then introduces him to his daughter Tutar – the young woman who led Giuliani to the hotel room. 

Jimmy Kimmel Live / YouTube

Meanwhile, Jimmy Fallon caught up with the star of Mamma Mia 2, Lily James, who says she would be up for a third film (something the producers have alluded to). For all the gossips who are wondering, she did not address the Dominic West fiasco. 

On Last Week Tonight, John Oliver discusses the crucial role of the World Health Organisation, why Donald Trump is sceptical of it, and how his plans to withdraw the United States could have dire consequences for the rest of the world who rely on its service. 

LastWeekTonight / YouTube

If you are excited about Bruce’s (two) appearances on our screen later tonight, then you’ll enjoy him reacting to getting his very own emoji. He tells Stephen Colbert he doesn’t know what to do with it, but he thinks it’s wonderful. 

The Late Show with Stephen Colbert / YouTube

From the Archives 

Advocates and survivors of mother and baby homes have been outraged at the government’s handling of legislation passed in the Dáil, and while the debate continues on the fate of records of the Commission of Investigation, it is important to remember the survivors and victims. 

Mary Harney, one of the survivors seeking to unseal the archive, recalls her childhood in an industrial school here. Writing for TheJournal.ie today, Fionn Davenport shared his story and says the government’s rushing through of legislation condemns survivors of mother and baby homes to 30 more years of darkness. 

Peter Mulryan appeared on the Late Late Show in 2017 to share his experience of the Tuam Mother and Baby Home, and how he only found out in 2014 that he had an infant sister allegedly died at the home.

“Where is she? Is she there? Where is she tonight? I don’t know where she is… She could have been sent to America and sold off. I don’t know but I need to know, and I will not rest until I find out.”

The Late Late Show / YouTube

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