The Late Late Show has suffered a major drop in viewers since Patrick Kielty’s first season as host, with two of the first four episodes of the new season falling below 400,000, Extra.ie can exclusively reveal.

Figures supplied by RTÉ show the second episode of the season, broadcast on September 25, had an average consolidated audience of 371,000 on RTÉ One and RTÉ One +1, with a 43pc share of the available audience.

The fourth episode, on October 9, was watched by an average of 388,000 viewers, also with a 43pc share.

The season opener on September 18 drew 451,000 viewers and a 48pc share, while the October 2 show attracted 431,000 viewers and a 42pc share.

Streaming figures on RTÉ Player have also fallen across the run, from 87,000 for the opening episode to 48,000 for the fourth.

The figures follow a steady decline in audiences since Kielty (55) took over as host.

The 2025/26 season averaged 385,000 viewers per episode with a 38.2pc share. That was down from an average consolidated audience of 390,000 over 30 episodes the previous year.

In his first season, from September 15, 2023, to May 10, 2024, Kielty averaged 437,000 viewers over 31 episodes, with a 38.6pc share. His debut show alone drew 830,000 viewers.

His predecessor Ryan Tubridy averaged 410,000 viewers over 36 episodes in his final season, with a 39.5pc share.

However, Kielty’s show is shorter, finishing at 11.05pm rather than 11.35pm, and the figures do not include The Late Late Toy Show.

The numbers are a far cry from the show’s heyday. In 2011, a Tubridy season opener drew 650,000 viewers, and even that was seen as a disappointing start after 832,000 tuned in to the opener the previous year.

Even as recently as 2014, the show was averaging 612,000 viewers, down from 634,000 the year before.

Kielty signed a new three-year contract in July, allowing for up to 30 shows per season until 2028. He was paid a total of €266,323 in 2025.

In response to this seasons performance a spokesperson for RTE told Extra.ie: The first three episodes of this season of The Late Late Show were watched by 44.3% of the available audience or an average (consolidated) audience of 418,000 on RTÉ One and RTÉ One+1.This marks an increase audience share of 29% compared with the same period last year. 

On RTÉ Player, there were 257,000 streams for the first four episodes of this season, up 9% from last same period last year. 

On RTÉ’s social channels, there have been 33 million video views so far this season, up 1,559% on the same period last year.’