A ‘really special’ Late Late Show tribute to Gay Byrne will be on RTÉ tonight

A "really special" Late Late Show tribute to Gay Byrne will be on RTÉ tonight.

The legendary broadcaster passed away on November 4 after a long illness. He was 85 years old. Speaking on Tuesday morning, Ryan Tubridy paid tribute to his "magnificent mentor" - and referenced Roald Dahl's Charlie and the Chocolate Factory as he explained how Gay Byrne inspired him. "I just love the story about the little boy who saw this extraordinary man and thought, 'If I can get into that factory, I'd love to meet that man and learn all his tricks and maybe even run the factory someday,'" he recalled. "And that's what it felt like sometimes: 'Could I get through those gates and work in, what I felt was, this magnificent factory that makes sweets and chocolate and all the best things in life for people?' And that's in many ways the story," he continued. "I watched Gay, and I was in awe, as many people were, and thought, 'God, someday I'd love to meet him'. I watched him doing the Toy Show and thought, 'Is that a job? All he's doing is...' But of course he was doing nothing of the sort; he was making a very difficult job look easy. As he did every day, and every Friday night or Saturday night depending." He promised viewers that the special edition of The Late Late Show will be a "really special" tribute to the broadcaster. RTÉ have confirmed that President Michael D Higgins, Mary McAleese, Bob Geldof, Pat Kenny, Joe Duffy, Mike Murphy, Andrea Corr, Sharon Shannon, John Sheahan, Finbar Furey, Nell McCafferty, John McColgan, and Tommy Tiernan will be appearing on the show to pay tribute to Gay Byrne. Pat Shortt, Jon Kenny, Rosaleen Linehan Eamon Dunphy, Twink, Fr Brian D'arcy, Paddy Maloney, Donal Lunny, Nell McCafferty, Michael Carruth, Moya Doherty, RTÉ Director General Dee Forbes, Vincent Browne, Mary Black, Frank McNamara and Aonghus McAnally will also join Ryan Tubridy to remember the legendary broadcaster.

• The Late Late Show Tribute to Gay Byrne, Tuesday, RTÉ One, 9:35pm and on the RTÉ Player