'I'll trust my gut & make the show my own'

Presenter can't wait to be a part of Irish history' Host didn't get handover from ex stars Tubs & Kenny

-  KATIE GALLAGHER

PATRICK Kielty revealed he has not spoken to Ryan Tubridy ahead of his Late Late Show debut saying he is "trusting his gut" to make the iconic show his own.

The comedian is gearing up to host his first ever Late Late show next Friday, taking the reins from former host Tubridy who stepped down from the role after 14 years.

Kielty, 52, said there has been no handover between the presenters, as he opened up on his own plans and the pressure to put his own twist on the historic role.

He told the Irish Mirror: "I haven't spoken to Ryan [Tubridy] or Pat [Kenny]. I think there comes a point where you have to trust your gut and work out what you want that show to be... And weirdly I haven't joined the club yet.

"I kind of want to do the show first and have a go at it, and then you can talk to people who have done it before.

"But until I host it, I kind of want to focus on what I can bring to it."

Having started his career as a stand-up, the seasoned host from Co Down knows a thing or two about dealing with nerves and pressure.

And he said his stage background is the best preparation he could have had for his new gig.

PRESSURE

Patrick said: "What's interesting is that pressure comes from something that is exciting.

But after a summer of scandals with Tubridy and RTE over payments, there is an added pressure on how the new appointment is going to go.

Patrick added: "For me, the only thing that I need to be worried about is doing a good show.

"And this is now the part of it, where I kind of think some of that is starting to die down in the background and people are going to start looking towards, 'Oh here is this other guy, here's the new show. What is that going to be like?'

"So we build towards that and that is the stuff you have to try to put to the back of your head to try and get the other stuff done.