Katherine Drohan is probably the busiest person in Ireland. "Up the walls is an understatement," says the woman charged with making thousands of dreams come true on next Friday's Late Late Toy Show.
And her day taking charge of all our Christmas wishes, as the show's producer, is bookended by Penny and Kate, her lovely year-old twins, whom she must pick up from the RTÉ creche by 6.30pm. They come before everything – even Ryan Tubridy.
After teatime, bathtime, storytime and bedtime the girls get their heads down and Drohan takes to her laptop, and toy-show duties, until late at night. All you other children can relax: the show will go on.
Drohan is an old hand who brings several years of Late Late Show experience to the toy show. It is her first time producing the show, but becoming a parent has breathed new life into an old affection. "They've given me a whole new perspective on my subject matter," she says.
Drohan worked on the toy show for four years as a researcher, starting in 2010, so she feels more than capable of handling what she calls a national treasure.
Last year's Late Late Toy Show chewed up the ratings and spat them out, becoming the most-watched Irish television programme this century, with an average of 1.59 million viewers and a peak of 1.8 million. No pressure, then.
Drohan tries not to dwell on the viewing figures too much; she just wants the show to be magical for everyone, especially children.
In the middle of a hectic rehearsal she is calm. No one need worry. She has tested and selected the toys. Tested and selected the children. She is the safest pair of hands, and this will be the best toy show ever, she says. “It has the biggest set. Ever. The most children. Ever. The biggest performance. Ever.” One performance has 96 kids in it.
The show went on a national tour for the first time this year, looking for the right children to appear on the show as toy testers and performers. The Late Late Toy Show team was looking for originality and talent, and she is confident they've found it.
The children may indeed make the show, but Ryan Tubridy puts the icing on the Christmas cake as its presenter, she says. “It’s easy because he loves it. He’s great with the kids, because he’s a big kid himself,” says Drohan.
Tubridy puts the young toy-show participants at ease and injects a bit of age-appropriate fun, she says. Over the past weeks he has taken a personal interest in testing the toys to within an inch of their lives.
Tubridy has also brought a new generation of “kidults” to the sofa to watch the toy show. “Millennials love it as much as the kids, and Ryan’s involvement has a lot to do with that,” she says. And he can rock a Christmas sweater, which always helps.
Drohan is too steeped in tradition to give away many Late Late Toy Show secrets. But you might keep an eye out for the child star who she says will rock your world. "Voice of an angel?" we ask. Drohan grins like an inscrutable Cheshire cat.
So what toys are likely to leave parents sweating and children gnawing on their stockings in anticipation?
"Star Wars will be big," she says. She also mentions (and some of you might take this opportunity to run down to your local toy emporium) that the show will feature a My Generation doll aimed at eight- to 10-year-olds who are entranced by combing long, luxuriant hair. A sort of mini Kardashian sister.
There will also be the Irish-designed Lottie doll, with its more childlike features. And here is where the spoiler alert lies. The Lottie Doll will be wearing a superhero outfit designed by a real-life child.
Drohan is keen to keep the show old school. She’s a firm believer in the adage that “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it”. And the toy show definitely ain’t broke.
With advertisers paying €32,000 this year for a 30-second spot during its commercial breaks, the Late Late Toy Show remains a major money spinner for the national broadcaster.
“It is staying very true to its origins, so we are not putting loads of social-media bits into it,” she says.
And despite the world of global entertainment throwing stars at the show, Drohan will consider letting them on only if they have a reason to be there. “No child is getting chucked off for a star,” she says. Besides, there are 21 child toy testers to fit in, and they get priority because they are brilliant, she says.
The Late Late Toy Show is definitely not going away. Neither is it giving away any of its secrets. "It's like opening your toys on Christmas Day. No one would want to ruin the surprise," says its savvy producer.
No one apart from a miserable Irish Times journalist who will now bring you this humbug-filled newsflash: Barbie will be wearing flats. You heard it here first.
The Late Late Toy Show is on RTÉ One on Friday, November 27th, at 9.35pm. The Late Late Toy Show Unwrapped , a documentary about the programme over the years, is on RTÉ One on Monday, Wednesday and Friday
