The returned on Friday night, with host Patrick Kielty exploring the current political landscape in America, concerns surrounding AI-generated deepfake media, the final of The Traitors Ireland and Donncha O’Callaghan’s new show.
Kielty welcomed comedian Rosie O’Donnell, comedian Emma Doran, rugby star Donncha O’Callaghan, athletes Kate O’Connor and Rhasidat Adeleke, broadcaster Gráinne Seoige and the finalists of . Singer-songwriter Dave Lofts also made his Late Late Show debut.
American comedian and actress Rosie O’Donnell appeared as Kielty’s first guest of the night, discussing Donald Trump, her life in Ireland, autism and her return to television.
The 12-time Emmy winner was introduced by Kielty as “Donald Trump’s favourite performer”.
Fresh from her stint hosting the Jimmy Kimmel Show, O’Donnell spoke about covering for the host while he was on holiday. She said it was the first time she had hosted a talk show in 25 years and admitted she was “worried” about getting behind the desk, but quickly remembered how to do it and enjoyed having wonderful guests.
O’Donnell, who now calls Ireland home, spoke about the kindness of Irish people and Americans with Irish heritage who want to escape what she described as the “racist government that has taken over our country”.
“My grandparents are all from Ireland; my brothers have their citizenship. But I never thought that I would need it, so I never applied or did anything but when I felt I have to get out of here because I could see what’s coming, I came here and applied, and it’s been almost two years now,” she said.
Discussing the impact of Trump’s government, she said: “We survived a civil war, so we can survive this. It’s one mediocre man who is a criminal who has taken over and somehow has the autonomy, given to him by the corrupt Supreme Court, to do whatever he wants, and America is sick of it and I felt it when I was there this summer.”
O’Donnell said Trump had threatened to sue her for 20 years, but added: “you can’t sue someone who is telling the truth”.
Touching on Trump’s recent visit to Ireland, O’Donnell said Ireland handled it “brilliantly”.
“You know, the Irish people have such a connection to genocide; they’ve such a connection to forced famine. They’ve such a connection to rooting for the underdog because of what they’ve gone through for so many years,” she said.
“That has to be held up and copied by all the rest of the countries in Europe because what we have done here in Ireland by standing up for Palestine and for the edging genocide because never again means never again for everyone… for everyone.” Her comments were met with loud applause from the audience.
Wicklow singer-songwriter Dave Lofts made his Late Late Show debut, performing .
A former member of the Irish Defence Forces, Lofts has built a reputation for raw, anthemic storytelling with an indie-folk edge.
He is best known for his song Holy, which he has performed at bars and gigs across America, including a duet with singer-songwriter Sierra Ferrell at a bar in Los Angeles.
Gráinne Seoige joined Kielty to discuss her experience of having AI-generated explicit deepfake images of her circulated.
The broadcaster recalled getting ready to go canvassing when she received a phone call telling her that a pornographic deepfake image featuring her face on the naked body of another woman was circulating on WhatsApp.
She said she tried to move on and continue canvassing for a number one vote, but the thought that people might have seen the image remained in the back of her mind.
The experience “turned her world upside down”, she said, and she did not want to tell her parents for several weeks.
“How do you break the news that somebody in the community in which you grew up in, that you love, has done this to you?” she said.
Seoige said she initially, and naively, believed she could have the image removed. It later became clear that removing it was not an option.
She was subsequently diagnosed with PTSD, while her documentary explores the impact on women who have experienced similar abuse, including the feeling of vulnerability every time they leave the house.
She also discussed meeting Taoiseach Micheál Martin, saying that if existing laws were working, she would not have needed to meet him about the issue.
Speaking about her correspondence with the platform where the image was shared, she said: “Do not tell me that with everything that AI is capable of doing, including breaking into Australian government files right now, that they cannot identify a pornographic criminal image and take it down. Don’t tell me that. And they’re hiding behind it.”
She questioned the power of large technology platforms, which she said are making billions while making young people addicted to their products.
“Why are platforms more powerful than governments? Why are they roughshod over the rights and dignity of the most vulnerable of our society?” she asked.
The finalists – traitors Pauric and Carla, and faithfuls Diego and Anna – were in the audience on Friday night.
Rosie O’Donnell took over from Kielty to interview the finalists about their experience of making it to the end of the popular series.
Diego Rodrigues Caixeta had viewers holding their breath during Tuesday’s final when he correctly identified the final traitor in the castle.
At the fire pit, Diego opted to banish for the final time, saying he believed there was still a traitor among the finalists.
By revealing that he wanted to banish Pauric O, the final traitor, he and Anna won the show, dividing the final pot between them.
Diego was joined by his husband, Denis, who also took part in this season of the show.
Gold and silver medallists Kate O’Connor and Rhasidat Adeleke joined Kielty to reflect on their performances at the European Athletics Championships in Birmingham.
O’Connor won her maiden European Athletics Championship gold with a national record total of 6,751 points, finishing 38 points ahead of Tokyo 2020 bronze medallist Emma Oosterwegel and 87 points ahead of third-placed Sofie Dokter.
Adeleke won silver in the 400m at the 2024 European Championships and silver in the 200m at the 2026 European Championships in Birmingham, setting a national record.
The athletes spoke about the support they have received throughout their careers and since the Europeans, as well as women in sport.
Adeleke recalled looking up to Katie Taylor while growing up.
“Growing up, when she won that gold in 2012, I was like ‘I want to be like Katie’. She’s done it, surely I can do something close to that. I’m just so grateful I had someone like her to look up to,” Adeleke said.
O’Connor said sport had given Ireland a “real lift”.
“Sport in Ireland is doing phenomenal things and I think it’s given the country a real lift several times over the summer and I think what athletes are doing is really exciting,” she said.
Kielty surprised both athletes with messages of support and congratulations from students at their former schools.
Donncha O’Callaghan and Emma Doran joined Kielty to discuss their trip to the Wife Carrying World Championships in Finland, as part of the new RTÉ series .
The series sees O’Callaghan team up with six celebrities – Olympic boxer Kellie Harrington, Ireland Rugby Sevens star Jordan Conroy, comedian Emma Doran, former Ireland rugby international Tommy Bowe, actor Hilary Rose and judge Oti Mabuse.
O’Callaghan said it was “great to put back on the green jersey and represent Ireland in the most wacky and bizarre events you could possibly imagine”.
He and Doran travelled to Finland to compete in the international wife-carrying competition, while other episodes see him racing bathtubs in Belgium with Tommy Bowe, wrestling Vikings with Kellie Harrington and taking part in Greek folk dancing with Oti Mabuse.
Doran said considerably more work went into training for the wife-carrying event than she had realised.
“It’s kind of like Cheltenham… you’re the horse and he’s the jockey, you’re on his back and you have to lock in your core. It’s a race… you’re running on a track and he’s going into water and going over jumps and he’s a rugby star; he could have old injuries that I’m going to flare up now,” she said.
