The Late Late Toy Show was the joy we needed after months of gloom

A show full of messing, joy, and hope we all needed.

Last night's Toy Show was the glimmer of magic the country needed after months of stress, Covid restrictions, and arguments over antigen tests. The Toy Show is like an unofficial public holiday for the Emerald Isle. It's something we look forward to even more than Halloween and Easter combined. People buy special pyjamas, friends gather together, we buy enough treats to feed a small army and crack open the good wine. It's silly and pure and just a little bit ridiculous, but it is everything we needed and more. Everyone has been affected by this pandemic in some way, shape, or form and the Toy Show helped us forget about our worries for a couple of hours. It gives adults the chance to feel like innocent kids again and lets children embrace the festive spirit. It is full of messing and moving moments. It makes us cry, cringe and smile like the Cheshire Cat. Millions tuned in from all around the world to watch Tubridy and some incredibly brilliant kids. Families in Boston, Perth, London, and down in Co. Cork watched as The Lion King was brought to life on our screens. Speaking about the aim of last night's show, Ryan Tubridy shared: “Everyone has been locked up for a long time and that’s why we need to head out into the wild and join our friends in The Lion King. This isn’t just a theme; it is a movement." "Every child can leave the house and leave the room and leave the kitchen and roam free in the jungle of their families because they are the boss tonight. So, it is the future, it is wild, and it is beautiful. Join us in the jungle, we will see you tonight.” https://twitter.com/twisteddoodles/status/1464383923471982595 The Toy Show gifts us the escapism we've all so desperately needed and we'll forever be grateful for this show full of messing, silliness, and Tubridy's singing. There are too many highlights from last night's joy-filled show, but seeing Finn ring the bell after being declared cancer-free is something that warmed our hearts. It's one of those Toy Show moments you simply won't forget. DJ Callum and Hypeman Jackson have become national treasures. Callum's reaction to Fergal's incredible rendition of Ave Maria was simply iconic. Isabella's face, when Ryan told her she was going to Paris, moved us to tears and Róisin's impressive dinosaur knowledge left us speechless. https://twitter.com/FionnualaMoran/status/1464380750229299203 Una playing the harp, Ryan and Paudie dancing to Harry Styles, the Lion King costumes, Kellie Harrington's powerful words, and Ed Sheeran's surprise appearance. There were just so many wonderful moments that brought the country together and let us embrace the Hakuna Matata way of life. It was a Toy Show full of laughter and reminded us that sometimes it is okay to forget about all of your worries, even if it is just for a couple of hours on a Friday night in November.