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VIEWERS OF LAST week’s Late Late might have noticed a rowdier atmosphere than usual.
A studio full of single men and women, combined with controversial commenter Katie Hopkins, led to some surreal scenes.
Ronan O’Gara was also caught up in it all, and today apologised for comments made on the show, DailyEdge.ie reports.
A spokesperson for RTÉ confirmed this evening that a total of 90 people got in touch with the broadcaster to express ‘negative feedback’ following the special Valentines Day edition of the show.
A small number of formal complaints were also received.
Given the jovial mood, questions were also raised over the amount of booze that was handed out behind the scenes.
The spokesperson also confirmed that the antics witnessed on the programme weren’t due to the audience being supplied with more alcohol than usual.
“There must have been a lot of hormones around that night,” they said.
They added that the number of people getting in touch was small compared with the total number of viewers.
Friday’s show drew in 571,000 people, up from 499,600 the week previous.
The viewership figure for the Saturday Night Show – which last week beat the Late Late – stood at 417,100.
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Jesus people give out over stupid things ..
Exactly! I still havnt got a chance to watch the show yet but from what Ive heard it was all a bit mad, but was great entertainment. Id rather watch that every week than tune in to see some Z-list celebrity who had one half decent song back in the 70s brought on to plug their new autobiography. Other late night talk shows like Chatty Man and Graham Norton are good because its all a bit silly and the guests are able to have fun with the host. Try that here and clearly the moanbag brigade come out in force to let everyone know how offended they are.
I think most of the furore is because it was so unlike what we expect from the Late Late. So while nothing particularly off-the-wall happened by say, Graham Norton standards, it all added up to just.plain.weird for the Late Late.
Personally, I also prefer watching Graham Norton, but the Late Late is the kind of show that I’d normally feel comfortable putting on for background noise while my grandparents are over.
They need to do this with the late late every week. Just go to closest college bar and round up a crowd!
I dont understand why people bothered writing complaints about it. I saw the show and thought it was embarrassing to watch. They just seemed like a bunch of drunk clowns, especially the fool who said he wanted a ‘ride’. They werent even funny, just seemed like cave people
I think some people want to be offended.
I take offence with that.
I’m sickened and offended by something or other .
And they were probably all on drugs too.
Peter I take offence that you take offence, down with all that!
They’re from a highly specialised group, who apparently are paid for such roles, and have a say on everything in that they shouldnt realy be bothered with, they’re called the professionally offended!!!
Some people call them tossers too..
I’d say none of them are paying their water charges either
Who the hell are the 417k people who are watching the Saturday Night show?! For the love of god, its terrible.
Yeah Late Late all the way…
Ray I don’t know one person that admits watching it.Not family, friends or work, yet RTE claims 417K. I used to go out on Friday night but swapped over to Saturday, one reason being I would never get stuck watching that cringe making crap.
Also in all my years I only ever met one family that were used for TAM ratings & they had an indirect connection with RTE. None of my friends know anybody that were ever used. Makes you wonder, who are these people and how are they selected?
They’re both pretty brutal. Friday night = Pornography night for the foreseeable future.
The entire audience was absolutely hammered, certainly an interesting watch alright
Do these people who complain not have remote controls ? Seriously, imagine taking those calls. Now that could make for a very good show !!
JJOOOOEEEEEE DUFFFFYYYYYY
Me : It’s a lovely day, isn’t it ? THEM : Ah but wasn’t last Sunday terrible ! ME : so I’ve just forgotten that I ever met you, WOSH !! It’s a lovely day !!
Far too little to be doing with themselves.
We must protect the sanctity of the nation!
So the late late show has finally stepped into the modern era!!
Can believe 90 people watched it to be honest!!
Down with that sort of thing….
Easy now
You had one job, twonky!
Ryan Tubridys reflection must be sick of the sight of him.
What an absolute waste of €160 ….
they are worse for watching it ….absolute crap about two steps above jeremy kyle….why not have a good show like graham norton with REAL celebritties not like the muppets tubridy roles out every other week…..
The lad from Swinford in Mayo was brilliant on the Graham Norton show.
He’d make some book critic….two words would do…..lol
I can imagine the type of sad b@stards that make a “formal” complaint.
€160 for the privilege. The only time I feel robbed.
Some people think its value for money? Probably the same people that signed up to Irish Water.
People, come out of the dark ages for gods sake. What was wrong with what went on, all consenting adults having a good time. The country might be a better place if everyone else let there hair down every now and again.
Some people just need a good ride!! Cop on
I lodged a complaint its was crude and offensive.
the late late show is constantly offensive to any rational ,free thinking person
What exactly was offensive about it?
Change the channel, if you flicked over to the Adult “Dirty” stations and seen a nice big Ar$€ and found that offensive you’d change the station. Go and complain about that, or actually Dont bother
Kiss Katie Hopkins???
I wouldn’t kiss her with *your* mouth …
She’s the only reason I’d complain. I resent that Chavvy wagon being given the oxygen of publicity she desperately craves. Jog on, Spongebob.
Was it really necessary to show “sex” scene from love hate so early in night with prob large amount of kids watching albeit it was past watershed but Friday night??! Come on crass in the extreme…
I agree. I was watching it with my mother and nieces and nephews. I wasn’t expecting that. It had me on edge for the rest of the evening as to what the remaining 4 clips would be.
Hmm. A graphic sex image in front of nieces, nephews and mother is always uncomfortable regardless what the calendar says.
Exciting evening for you then Donal!
If it’s past the watershed, the kids shouldn’t be watching. Your fault for letting them.
‘I wasn’t expecting that.’?? You had plenty of time to switch it off Donal, he clearly mentioned beforehand that the first scene they were showing was when Fran met a character from Avatar (or something along the lines of that) even if you hadn’t seen Love Hate and didn’t know what was about to be shown it was clear they were about to show a sex scene, so turn it off if you didn’t want your nieces and nephews to see it?
Bring back Parkinson and then we might have a few guests who are both interesting and have some self respect rather than the performing monkeys that I have occasionally caught glimpses of whilst desperately trying to find something worth watching.
Desperate crowd altogether on all three shows mentioned.
Desperate desperate desperate. I despair.
Post modernism gone crazy.
Is it just me or is Parkinson completely overrated ? I always got the impression that the show has this superior smugness about it. And Parkinson himself was far from entertaining. Polite certainly. But entertaining ? No.
I agree, the Late Late Show has Z list guests most of the time!
And a Z list host
Z list band
Z list set
Z list production
All makes for zzzzzzzz
I just change channel.
The Late Late show went south when Gay Byrne retired. He too was controversial but he was ahead of his time. “That, ladies and gentlemen is what a johnnie looks like” as he opened a condom! He had the Catholic Church in a tizzy! Occasionally too some guests were apparently drunk, Oliver Reed comes to mind, but it never made him out as car crash television. I think good chat show hosts are cut out to do just that. Some people should just stay behind the microphone in a room and remain there in their comfort zone!!
When was Oliver Reed not drunk?
The do gooders are at it again. A little bit of slap and tickle and the inbreds get all annoyed get a life or maybe a hotel room.
I’ve been in RTE audiences many times. Before the show there are about 30 mins of chit chat in the lobby area where there is an unlimited supply of drink for everyone. No wonder there losing €60 mill a year even with our license bill.
It’s rare that something could be termed as both vapid and odious but Katie Hopkins on the Late Late Show fits that. I switched off after about 2 minutes as she seemed to confuse entertainment with repeating the word ‘Tits’ to the guffaws of some inebriated singletons. It did prove to me that I would rather watch reruns of obscure game shows on Challenge than have to watch that repulsive clown, Tubridy should have doled out her ‘BFH’
after the first minute. You can’t beat a bit of bully.
Do people actually watch this silly show? Zzzzzzzzzzzzz
What ever happened to having a bit of craic ????? Some people need to get a life .
Lobotomy TV.
Some People get easily offended over anything that’s what the remote control is for I don’t know what these people expect to get out of it obviously have nothing productive to do with their life’s
It was car crash tv. Only saving grace was the ROG interview
Funny how ratings where the big news during the week for the late late and all of a sudden this happens??????
To watch the late late show indicates you have no life
I would rather watch paint dry ..
Disgusted.
Complaints? Controversy? Media coverage? Loads of people talking about the Late Late Show on Internet forums?
Job done.
RTE’s advertising manager will be very happy.
Ah lighten up folks!
Probably the Catholic Church Brigade again….
Who kissed Katie Hopkins!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
The after show orgy would have been fun lol.
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