'We'll make it the Short Short Show for Claire..

RTE chiefs offered to tweak TV format

- PAT FLANAGAN

RTE almost begged Claire Byrne to take The Late Late Show job and were even willing to cut the number of episodes and reduce its running time to entice her, it has emerged. 

But the station’s top presenter turned down the chance to host the flagship programme for a number of reasons.

It is understood Patrick Kielty, 52, is now the preferred choice to take over the world’s longest-running talk show.

However, the huge fee that he would command could cause problems for RTE bosses amid cutbacks brought about by a funding crisis.

But it was Byrne, 47, who management at the national broadcaster really wanted and did everything possible to get her to take the job.

This means that neither Miriam O’Callaghan nor Sarah McInerney were ever real contenders for the post.