The Late Late Show seem to be increasingly taking risks with live tv – last week, we saw Republic of Telly star Bernard O’Shea deliver newborn lambs to mark the beginning Big Week on the Farm, which thankfully went smoothly.
And tomorrow night, we will witness legendary singer Brush Shiels attempt to raise money by running from Fair City’s Carrigstown to the Late Late studio floor – at the age of 70 and just two years after a major health scare that saw him fitted with a pace-maker.
The Dublin rocker wants to prove to the country that he is ‘fit as a fiddle’ and he will attempt to set a record by running the first ever Late Late Over-70s Indoor/Outdoor 100-metres Pacemaker Challenge. He’s hoping to do it in 14 seconds flat, and if he succeeds, bookmakers Paddy Power will give a donation to the Irish Cancer Society. No pressure, then!
Brush, who has released a song on his challenge, will be running the race wearing his trademark coat and cap – whatever the result, it’s guaranteed to be great tv.
Someone who can give him advice will be one of Ireland’s greatest athletes, Sonia O’Sullivan, who will chat to host Ryan Tubridy about the great Chinese takeaway that saw her deprived of two gold medals at the World Championships in Stuttgart.
The Cobh runner will share her thoughts as the chances of her being awarded those medals edge closer, 23 years after they should have been hers, and what she believes the future holds for athletics, with revelations of performance-enhancing drugs continuing to dog the sport.
Meanwhile, the remaining guests for tomorrow night are most definitely a mixed bag.
News reporter Philip Boucher-Hayes, whose recent expose on the beloved chicken fillet roll shocked the nation, will reveal what’s really going on with the foods we love to eat as he discloses another staple of the Irish diet in his sights.
He went into the Seanad with high hopes but Professor John Crown is bowing out of politics having, in his own words, “lost the will to live as a health reformer”. We’ll be hearing about the brick walls he faced as he tried to reform the system from within, why he’s turning his back on politics now and his prescription for the Irish health service.
Environmental planner Conor Skehan will also be on the show to speak about how he believes the future is an increasing drift toward the cities. A panel including independent TD Michael Fitzmaurice, the Irish Farmer’s Journal’s Mairead Lavery and businessman Peter Ward will argue it out with him.
Music on the night will be provided by Stockton’s Wing, Pulse of Tradition and the breakout star of Centenary, Sibeal Ni Chasaide performing “Mise Éire”.
Make sure to tune in tomorrow night on RTÉ One at 9.35pm.
