RYAN TUBRIDY HAS described the decision to appoint Co Down comedian Patrick Kielty as the next Late Late Show presenter as a “great decision all round”.

He added that Kielty has ‘the chops’ to cover the lighter and heavier sides of the show.

In March, Tubridy announced that he would step down as host at the end of the current season, which is this coming Friday.

He took over presenting duties from Pat Kenny in 2009.

Tubridy will however continue to present his radio show on weekday mornings from 9.00am – 10.00am on RTÉ Radio 1.

Several high profile figures removed themselves from the running to replace Tubridy, including Prime Time presenter Miriam O’Callaghan, as well as RTÉ’s Claire Byrne and Sarah McInerney.

On Saturday, it was announced that Patrick Kielty would be the next person to helm one of the longest-running late-night talk shows.

“To follow in the footsteps of Gay, Pat and Ryan as the next custodian is a real honour and I can’t thank RTÉ enough for giving me the chance to be a part of the next chapter of such an iconic show,” said Kielty after the news was announced.

Speaking on his RTÉ Radio 1 show this morning, Tubridy said: “I just think he has, what they say in the business, ‘the chops’.

“He can cover the heavy side of things, and he’s got a background that will inform that.”

Kielty was just 16 when his father was murdered by loyalist paramilitaries in 1988.

He was nominated for a BAFTA for My Dad, The Peace Deal and Me, a documentary which coincided with the 20th anniversary of the Good Friday Agreement.

Tubridy then added: “He will also obviously do the lighter end of things with great skill because he’s a comedian, he’s a funny guy.”

Tubridy wished Kielty “the very best of luck” and added that Kielty will do a “great Toy Show”.

“I think he’ll do a great Toy Show because he’ll be well able for it as a dad to young kids and with a great whip-smart sense of humour, he’ll be all over it.

“So I just think that the show is going to be in really safe hands and he’ll get himself backed up with a great team, which no doubt he will be, and he’ll be fine. It’ll be great and I’m just happy.”

While Tubridy said “it’s not really my thing to be talking about more, in any big way, because I’m nearly the ex-guy”, he added: “I just want to put some wind in the sails as he heads forth on this extraordinary Odyssey.

“Good luck, good guy and a good future ahead for The Late Late Show. A very good, great decision all around, so wishing everyone great, great happiness and great success.”

Tubridy also said it will be a “peculiar week” as he “sets off on my own road to say goodbye on a Friday night”.

“It’ll be emotional but it’ll be lovely”, said Tubridy before adding that “we are in for a big, big week”.

“On Thursday, I’m going to Áras an Uachtaráin to meet President Higgins who’s very kindly invited us up to do our final interview together,” said Tubridy.

“As I think some people in his office, or even he was saying, that our 14 years have been pretty much paralleled.

“So obviously his in a much more important, lofty way, and me in my own small way, in TV land.

“But he’s always been very generous with his time and I appreciate the invitation.”