Tonight with Craig Doyle
Encyclopedia
Tonight with Craig Doyle is an Irish
chat show hosted by Craig Doyle
that was broadcast on RTÉ One
for one series in 2010. The show featured guest interviews, audience participation and live music. Tonight with Craig Doyle was broadcast every Saturday night during the spring season directly after the main evening news
.
's stepping down as host of The Late Late Show in 2009, RTÉ announced that Ryan Tubridy
, host of his own Saturday night chat show, would be Kenny's replacement. Tubridy Tonight
had aired since 2004 and had regularly drawn an audience of up to half a million since the first series. The departure of Tubridy to the Friday night slot left a gap in the schedule. In late 2009 RTÉ announced that it was to commission a new Saturday night entertainment show that would be fronted by "an established name or a combination of established names". Miriam O'Callaghan
and Gerry Ryan
, two broadcasters who lost out in the battle to succeed Kenny as host of The Late Late Show, were two names that were mentioned as possible hosts. It was hoped that the show would be "high energy", would "provide a distinctively Irish take on contemporary entertainment" and roposals for the show's format could include "chat, music, comedy, satire or some other element, such as audience participation, games, etc". It was reported by the Evening Herald
that the programme would have a budget of 90,000 per programme while the set for the show cost 100,000, despite being only for an eight-week show and tough company budget cuts.
In a new departure RTÉ decided to pit two new chat shows against each other. Brendan O'Connor
, who moved to RTÉ from The Apprentice: You're Fired!
on TV3, would present The Saturday Night Show
for an initial run of eight weeks before handing over to Doyle who would present Tonight with Craig Doyle for a further eight weeks. Whichever chat show proved successful would be recommissioned for a further series. Doyle was known to have secured the role even before The Saturday Night Show
had aired and wanted the Saturday programme to "compliment" the more serious Friday night chat show by being entertaining.
, Louis Walsh
and actress Victoria Smurfit
. Kate Nash
was the musical guest and Jarleth Regan
provided stand-up comedy
.
said that Doyle "is the latest contestant in RTÉ's version of The Apprentice", referring to the different presenters changing around in that slot.
at Donnybrook
, Dublin 4
. That studio is also home to the shows Friday night rival The Late Late Show. As RTÉ's biggest the studio holds 200 audience members. The programme was pre-recorded on the Wednesday before broadcast. This was primarily because Doyle had other presenting work to do on ITV Sport
.
Republic of Ireland
Ireland , described as the Republic of Ireland , is a sovereign state in Europe occupying approximately five-sixths of the island of the same name. Its capital is Dublin. Ireland, which had a population of 4.58 million in 2011, is a constitutional republic governed as a parliamentary democracy,...
chat show hosted by Craig Doyle
Craig Doyle
Craig Doyle is an Irish television and radio presenter. To British viewers he is recognisable as working for the BBC and ITV...
that was broadcast on RTÉ One
RTÉ One
RTÉ One is the flagship television channel of Raidió Teilifís Éireann , and it is the most popular and most watched television channel in Ireland. It was launched as Telefís Éireann on 31 December 1961, it was renamed RTÉ Television in 1966, and it was renamed as RTÉ One upon the launch of RTÉ...
for one series in 2010. The show featured guest interviews, audience participation and live music. Tonight with Craig Doyle was broadcast every Saturday night during the spring season directly after the main evening news
RTÉ News: Nine O'Clock
RTÉ News: Nine O'Clock is the flagship evening news programme for Irish television channel RTÉ One. It is presented by Anne Doyle, and deputised by Eileen Dunne. It is the final comprehensive news programme of the day on RTÉ One...
.
Replacing Tubridy Tonight
Following Pat KennyPat Kenny
Patrick "Pat" Kenny is an Irish broadcaster and former disc jockey and continuity announcer. He is employed by Raidió Teilifís Éireann and is their highest paid presenter. He presents Today with Pat Kenny on RTÉ Radio 1 each weekday morning between 10:00 and midday...
's stepping down as host of The Late Late Show in 2009, RTÉ announced that Ryan Tubridy
Ryan Tubridy
Ryan Tubridy , affectionately known as "Tubs", is an Irish broadcaster and writer, a presenter of live shows on radio and television in Ireland. He has been described as "one of Ireland's most gifted broadcasters"...
, host of his own Saturday night chat show, would be Kenny's replacement. Tubridy Tonight
Tubridy Tonight
Tubridy Tonight is an Irish chat show hosted by Ryan Tubridy that aired for five series on RTÉ One between 2004 and 2009. The programme featured guest interviews , audience participation and live music from both a guest music group and the house band...
had aired since 2004 and had regularly drawn an audience of up to half a million since the first series. The departure of Tubridy to the Friday night slot left a gap in the schedule. In late 2009 RTÉ announced that it was to commission a new Saturday night entertainment show that would be fronted by "an established name or a combination of established names". Miriam O'Callaghan
Miriam O'Callaghan
Miriam O'Callaghan is an Irish television current affairs broadcaster, chat show host and radio presenter with Raidió Teilifís Éireann . She has presented the leading current affairs show, Prime Time, since 1996, and her own chat show, Saturday Night with Miriam, since 2005...
and Gerry Ryan
Gerry Ryan
Gerard "Gerry" Ryan was an Irish presenter of radio and television employed by Raidió Teilifís Éireann...
, two broadcasters who lost out in the battle to succeed Kenny as host of The Late Late Show, were two names that were mentioned as possible hosts. It was hoped that the show would be "high energy", would "provide a distinctively Irish take on contemporary entertainment" and roposals for the show's format could include "chat, music, comedy, satire or some other element, such as audience participation, games, etc". It was reported by the Evening Herald
Evening Herald
The Evening Herald is a mid-market tabloid evening newspaper published in Dublin, Ireland by Independent News & Media. It is published Monday-Saturday, and has three editions — City Edition, City Final Edition and National Edition...
that the programme would have a budget of 90,000 per programme while the set for the show cost 100,000, despite being only for an eight-week show and tough company budget cuts.
In a new departure RTÉ decided to pit two new chat shows against each other. Brendan O'Connor
Brendan O'Connor (journalist)
Brendan O'Connor is an Irish journalist, comedian, media personality and retired pop star. Since 2010 he has presented The Saturday Night Show on RTÉ One. O'Connor is a columnist for the Sunday Independent, and is editor of the newspaper's Life Magazine.O'Connor's pop career has included a stint...
, who moved to RTÉ from The Apprentice: You're Fired!
The Apprentice: You're Fired! (Ireland)
The Apprentice: You're Fired! is a follow-on show to the Irish series The Apprentice.The show is hosted by Anton Savage and like other versions, features celebrity guests and the fired apprentice....
on TV3, would present The Saturday Night Show
The Saturday Night Show
The Saturday Night Show is an Irish chat show hosted by Brendan O'Connor that has been broadcast on RTÉ One since 2010. The show features guest interviews, audience participation and live music...
for an initial run of eight weeks before handing over to Doyle who would present Tonight with Craig Doyle for a further eight weeks. Whichever chat show proved successful would be recommissioned for a further series. Doyle was known to have secured the role even before The Saturday Night Show
The Saturday Night Show
The Saturday Night Show is an Irish chat show hosted by Brendan O'Connor that has been broadcast on RTÉ One since 2010. The show features guest interviews, audience participation and live music...
had aired and wanted the Saturday programme to "compliment" the more serious Friday night chat show by being entertaining.
Debut
Tonight with Craig Doyle made its debut in 10 April 2010 for an initial run of eight programmes. The guests for the first programme were La Toya JacksonLa Toya Jackson
La Toya Yvonne Jackson is an American singer-songwriter, musician, author, television personality, actress, businesswoman, philanthropist, activist and former model. She is the fifth child of the Jackson family...
, Louis Walsh
Louis Walsh
Louis Walsh is an Irish music manager and judge on the British television talent show The X Factor.-Band manager:...
and actress Victoria Smurfit
Victoria Smurfit
-Early life:She is part of the Smurfit family, one of the richest in Ireland. The family, headed by Victoria's uncle Michael Smurfit, sponsor a number of sporting events including the Smurfit European Open and the Champion Hurdle. The family is also associated with Smurfit Business School in U.C.D....
. Kate Nash
Kate Nash
Kate Marie Nash is an English singer, songwriter, and musician. She had a UK no. 2 hit "Foundations" in 2007, followed by the platinum selling UK number 1 album Made of Bricks. She was named Best Female Artist at the 2008 BRIT Awards....
was the musical guest and Jarleth Regan
Jarleth Regan
Jarlath Regan is an Irish stand-up comedian. A former graphic designer, Regan began his stand-up comedy career in 2003 and by the end of 2004 was a finalist for three major UK comedy newcomer awards: So You Think You're Funny, BBC New Comedy Awards and the Chortle Student Comedian Of The Year...
provided stand-up comedy
Stand-up comedy
Stand-up comedy is a comedic art form. Usually, a comedian performs in front of a live audience, speaking directly to them. Their performances are sometimes filmed for later release via DVD, the internet, and television...
.
Ending
Following the completion of both The Saturday Night Show and Tonight with Craig Doyle it was decided to recommission the former for a second series. It proved more popular with the audience than Doyle's show which was panned by the critics and regarded as a flop. Sinead Ryan of the Evening HeraldEvening Herald
The Evening Herald is a mid-market tabloid evening newspaper published in Dublin, Ireland by Independent News & Media. It is published Monday-Saturday, and has three editions — City Edition, City Final Edition and National Edition...
said that Doyle "is the latest contestant in RTÉ's version of The Apprentice", referring to the different presenters changing around in that slot.
Production
Tonight with Craig Doyle was broadcast from Studio 4 in the RTÉ Television CentreRTÉ Television Centre
RTÉ Television Centre is a television studio complex which is owned by Radio Telefís Éireann and has been home to the national broadcaster of Ireland since 1961. It is situated at Montrose, Donnybrook, Dublin 4...
at Donnybrook
Donnybrook, Dublin
Donnybrook is a district of Dublin, Ireland. It is situated on the southside of the city, in the Dublin 4 postal district, and is home to the Irish state broadcaster RTÉ. It was once part of the Pembroke Township...
, Dublin 4
Dublin 4
Dublin 4 is a postal district of Dublin, Ireland including the suburbs of Sandymount, Ballsbridge, Donnybrook, Ringsend and Irishtown on the South side of Dublin....
. That studio is also home to the shows Friday night rival The Late Late Show. As RTÉ's biggest the studio holds 200 audience members. The programme was pre-recorded on the Wednesday before broadcast. This was primarily because Doyle had other presenting work to do on ITV Sport
ITV Sport
ITV Sport is a sport producer and brand name owned by ITV plc. It was formed from the amalgamation of Granada Sport, Carlton's sports department and ISN, the sports division of London News Network. The company produces Champions League and FA Cup Football, along with coverage of England's national...
.