Laois woman now the bookie's favourite to land Late Late Show job in RTÉ

BoyleSports bookmakers have made Mountrath woman Claire Byrne the favourite to replace Ryan Tubridy as Late Late Show host in RTÉ.

The  Irish has quoted odds on numerous candidates but they say Claire is proving most popular with bettors. 

The current affairs presenter is now just 6/4 (from 9/4) to take the hot seat of the Friday night show. Early favourite Miriam O’Callaghan had now drifted out to 9/2 in the betting having once been as short as 4/6 odds-on. She subsequently pulled out of the race.

"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 into the ring to be considered," said O'Callaghan.

The PrimeTime anchor briefly hosted the Late Late Show during the pandemic. She has also been touted as a Presidential election candidate to replace Michael D Higgins in the Phoenix Park.

Of the other female contenders, Prime Time presenter Sarah McInerney is now also 9/2 from 9/1 while the biggest mover of them all is Ask Me Anything presenter Angela Scanlon who was slashed to 9/2 (from 33/1).

So one-way has the traffic been for the next presenter to be female, that BoyleSports is quoting just 1/14 on RTE bucking the trend and choosing a woman (or women!) and a considerably larger 7/1 that Tubs will be replaced by another man. 

Lawrence Lyons, spokesperson for BoyleSports, said: “It’s been a busy ever-changing market since we opened the betting last week and we’ve seen interest in quite a few different names, all female, with some surprising interest in Angela Scanlon, but Claire Byrne is by far the most fancied for the top job at Montrose.”  

Claire currently presents the Today with Claire Byrne on RTÉ Radio 1. She gave up her Monday night TV show for family reasons. She has however previously spoken about how she was inspired and advised by the first Late Late Show host Gay Byrne.

Will Laois woman be the first 'culchie' to host the Late Late Show on RTE?

RTÉ says it will not announce who will replace Ryan until the summer.

Boylesports next permanent Late Late Show host after Ryan Tubridy before Miriam pulled out were:

    6/4                              Claire Byrne

    9/2                              Miriam O'Callaghan

    9/2                              Angela Scanlon

    9/2                              Sarah McInerney

    9/1                              Tommy Tiernan

  12/1                              Brendan O'Connor

  16/1                              Carl Mullen

  18/1                              Daithi O Se

  20/1                              Jennifer Zamparelli

  25/1                              Mairead Ronan

  33/1                              Dara O Briain

  40/1                              Doireann Garrihy

  66/1                              The Two Johnnies

  66/1                              Sharon Ni Bheolain

  66/1                              Kathryn Thomas

100/1                              Ray D'Arcy

100/1                              Matt Cooper

100/1                              Laura Whitmore

100/1                              Hector O Heochagain

100/1                              Craig Doyle

100/1                              Nicky Byrne

100/1                              Bryan Dobson

100/1                              Eamonn Holmes

100/1                              Lucy Kennedy

100/1                              Shay Byrne

100/1                              Pat Spillane

100/1                             Graham Norton

100/1                              Jimmy Buckley

125/1                              Joe Duffy

150/1                              Blathnaid Ni Chofaigh

150/1                              Ray Foley

200/1                              Bar