Patrick Kielty is set to return as the host of RTÉ's The Late Late Show, with a new contract agreed upon following months of uncertainty. The Co. Down presenter's original three-year deal, valued at €250,000 per season, expired in May, leaving his future with the national broadcaster unconfirmed.
Sources within RTÉ have indicated that Kielty has signed a new agreement and will be back behind the desk for the show's 65th season this autumn. "Patrick Kielty is coming back to the Late Late," an RTÉ insider told the Mail. "Runners on the show have been preparing for his return, so I’m hearing it’s full steam ahead on another Kielty Late Late."
Kielty is understood to have negotiated a deal that includes a pay increase. He is also a director in Green Inc Film & Television, a production company that has reportedly secured rights to produce a revamped series of "Up for the Match," potentially worth €600,000. Kielty stepped down as a director of the firm in 2011.
His previous salary of €250,000 per season was confirmed in 2023 amidst controversy surrounding RTÉ's disclosure of presenter earnings, following revelations about his predecessor, Ryan Tubridy. The ongoing discussions about Kielty's contract coincide with a potential broader pay increase for RTÉ Director General Kevin Bakhurst, pending government approval, which could set a precedent for other high earners.
In May, RTÉ Director General Kevin Bakhurst confirmed to the Oireachtas Committee on Arts, Media, Communications, Culture and Sport that talks with Kielty were progressing, stating, "We want to get Patrick back." He also noted that RTÉ had contingency plans in place should a deal not be reached, though internal sources suggest these plans will not be necessary.
Despite some initial criticism, Kielty's tenure has maintained solid viewership numbers, with The Late Late Show averaging 385,000 viewers per episode. Streams on the RTÉ Player have also reached 1.46 million to date for the season. Kielty became the fourth permanent host of the show in May 2023, succeeding Ryan Tubridy and joining the ranks of past hosts Gay Byrne and Pat Kenny. The uncertainty surrounding his return had been a topic of discussion since the season finale in May.