By Emily Noone

After fourteen years in the host chair of the Late Late Show, Ryan Tubridy has announced that he will finish his time on the show at the end of the season. Having taken on the role of host in 2009 succeeding Pat Kenny, Tubridy has become a familiar face to the Irish audience.

The Late Late Show is a key part of RTÉ One and has been for many years, hosts like Gay Byrne and Pat Kenny have been on Irish televisions across the country with the show running since July of 1962.

The Late Late shows popularity has decreased in recent years with the loss of Gay Byrne as the shows host in 1999 during a time when one in three people across the country would watch the show every Saturday night.

The announcement of Tubridy leaving The Late Late show hosting position has become a key talking point for the Irish to wonder who might take up the position and what is to come of the show.

Ryan on Friday nights St.Patrick’s Day Late Late show opened with a few words of thanks to all who had supported him throughout his time as host, “my gut is based on ‘when you know, you know’. I have been really blown away by so many good wishes over the last few days. I am very heartened, I’m very grateful. I wanted to say thank you to everyone who has been in touch.” Tubridy then went on and happened to hint at who might be next to host the show when he said, ‘whoever she may be,’ he went on to wish them luck.

The public are now in a flurry of excitement considering who could be taking the host position, many seem to think Claire Byrne is a likely candidate as well as some considering Miriam O’Callaghan and Angela Scanlon high contenders for the position.

Just today however Miriam O’Callaghan announced that she would not become the host at this time. “Although the speculation about me being one of the favourites to take over the Late Late Show is very flattering, that won’t be happening as I’m not throwing my hat in to the ring to be considered”.

O’Callaghan currently hosts Prime Time another hugely successful show for RTÉ which delves into current affairs and news across Ireland.

In 2009 O’Callaghan was also seen as a potential host of the Late Late Show but lost out to Tubridy.

RTÉ will be leaving the public waiting and wondering about who the next host of the Late Late Show will be as they have said they don’t expect to make an announcement until late in the summer.