AS ANOTHER FRIDAY night rolls around, a bit of socially distant light banter might help to break up the monotony. 

With the drop in temperatures, there’s no better night to sit on the couch and watch some quality chat shows. 

Here’s our latest round-up of talk show content from the week and what will be on tonight. There should be plenty here to keep anyone occupied. 

• The Late Late Show, RTÉ One, tonight, 9.35 pm  

Tonight’s Late Late Show is dedicated to Irish companies who will be showcasing their wares and chatting about the tough times they’re experiencing.

But don’t worry there are still well-known guests if that’s why you’re here.  

Singer Niall Horan will speak to Ryan about how the music industry has been affected by Covid shutdowns and what measures are being taken to keep it afloat. 

Deirdre O’Kane will be discussing the changes in the comedy scene, the new challenges she and other Irish entertainers are facing, as well as her new show (more on that below). 

Diarmuid Gavin, Anna Geary, Kevin Dundon, and Roisin Murphy will also be on to showcase some of their favourite businesses from the worlds of outdoor and gardening, sports and fitness, food and beverages, and homeware.

Ryan says tonight will be a “nod of respect” to local businesses around the country, and a chance to encourage viewers to buy Irish “and keep our friends and neighbours in business”.

• The Graham Norton Show, BBC One, tonight, 10.45 pm

With England in lockdown 2.0, the small studio audience that Graham did have these last few weeks will no longer be allowed. Producers are said to be testing out a virtual audience tonight – let’s hope it’s better than the laugh track last season.

Locked down or not, the show goes on. Among the guests joining Graham tonight are Nicole Kidman, British boxing champion Nicola Adams, comedian Jason Manford, and actors Josh O’Connor and Emma Corrin who are playing Charles and Diana in the new series of The Crown.

Tonight’s musical guest is Kylie Minogue, performing her new single . 

• Deirdre O’Kane Talks Funny, RTÉ One, Saturday, 9.10 pm  

Comedian Deirdre O’Kane is taking the reins of RTÉ’s Saturday night slot tomorrow with her new show Deirdre O’Kane Talks Funny.

The six-part talk show will see O’Kane sit down with “a number of the country’s most renowned names” in “intimate conversations”. So, expect a This is Your Life chat but without the big red book.  

First up, Pat Shortt.  

Across the pond

You can probably take a good guess at what has dominated the late-night scene in America this week.

None of the hosts are taking Trump’s reaction to the US elections results lying down – Stephen Colbert had to do it standing up. 

His monologue dissects Trump’s “sad and frightening” remarks in the White House briefing room last night.

Likewise, Jimmy Kimmel accused Trump of lying and tearing down American democracy and shared his views on the possibility of Trump running again in 2024. 

For the week that’s in it, Kimmel also some well-known names from the world of US politics to read some of the worst things ever written about them. And yes, some of them do come from @realdonaldtrump. 

On Last Week Tonight, John Oliver used his last show before the election to look at bagpipe playing US Attorney General William Barr. Oliver discusses Barr’s attitude toward authority and executive power, how that attitude has influenced Donald Trump’s presidency, and what it could mean if Trump wins a second term (unlikely now).

Trevor Noah sent out Daily Show reporter Jordan Klepper to find out how New Yorkers were feeling on election day and what they’re doing to avoid jinxing the results.

On a lighter note, Seth Meyers answered some hard-hitting questions from comedian John Mulaney, like how Colin Jost and Scarlett Johansson’s wedding was and if he thinks he is good looking.

Meyers also had Tracy Chapman on for a timely performance of Talkin’ Bout a Revolution. 

From the archives

There has been a lot of love on Twitter for CNN’s John King and his ‘magic wall’ this election results week. 

King has been providing non-stop analysis of results with the help of his touch screens that filter vote counts by the state and county levels, picking him up plenty of fans along the way. 

Here he is in 2014 talking about how the magic wall’s first purpose was for military and intelligence use, and how he’ll never become a creature of Washington.