Late Late Show talking points: A presidential campaign, creamy buns and Sugababes
Late Late Show host Patrick Kielty with Senator Frances Black and Aoife Scott. Picture: @latelaterte
We've heard a lot lately from a certain UFC fighter about why he's keen to be Ireland's next president. But Frances Black was very keen to say "nothing at all" about whether she's going to make a tilt at the Áras.
Patrick Kielty held off on asking the big question for a few minutes anyway but just had see if he could get a definite answer from the singing Senator about 'rumours of a presidential run'.
Frances has been in politics for a good number of years now so she had no problem answering without giving any real answer — and she did it with a pretty light touch and a hint of a wink: "I'm not actively seeking it, no decisions have been made... but I am open to the conversation of course."
Safe to say, we haven't heard the last of presidential talk in connection with Senator Frances Black.
Frances' daughter, singer Aoife Scott, was accompanying her mum on the this week and she was well able to give her mum her backing: "She would make an unbelievable president. She's the most caring, the most loving, the most Irish person you could possibly be... she's the hardest worker... I'm not sure if I want to share her... but I wouldn't mind a bedroom in the Áras either."
So it was pretty appropriate really that the mother and daughter duetted on 'You say it best when you say nothing at all'.
It was only earlier this month that host Patrick Kielty's own mother died so he must be saluted for hosting a Mother's Day themed show with such warmth.
And we had plenty classic mammy stories and moments. From comedian Kevin McGahern's admission that he had a squished creamy bun spanked from his bottom in front of Daniel O'Donnell by his own mother to a bit of fun looking back at Frances Black's own mum singing for Gay Byrne on the many years ago.
Sports presenter Kelly Cates might have a rather famous dad but it was her mum she went to first with the news that she's going be part of a team taking over from Gary Lineker as presenters of the iconic .
It was announced in January that Kelly Cates, Mark Chapman and Gabby Logan will be the new Match of the Day presenters from next season but she kept the news secret from dad Kenny Dalglish as long as she could, revealing that her mum "was the only person who knew anything about it".
Speaking of mums and secrets and surprises, we loved the treat for Meath mum Cathy who was at home babysitting a bunch of grandkids as well as two cats and two dogs while her adult daughters Vanessa, Clare and Nikki and their husbands were on holiday in Marbella. It was even Cathy's birthday so Patrick dispatched a team with microphones and a big chocolate cake to wish her a happy birthday and happy mother's day. We hope she enjoys her break and champagne lunch now but please don't ever send a live TV camera to our front door at that hour!
They've had some brilliant hits so it was great to hear the Sugababes performing their iconic 'Push the Button'.
Ahead of their biggest arena headline tour in Britain and Ireland, Mutya, Keisha and Siobhán were delighted to sit down with Patrick Kielty and chat about partying here, their Kerry footballer connections and more.
They're still so young but it was amazing to look back at all they've achieved since they started out on their pop careers while they were still in their early teens. And some fans were put to a Sugababes lyrics test before we heard their new song 'Jungle'.
Only minutes into the show and very recent political spats were dragged up. Kielty joked that Michael Lowry is a big Sugababes fan and 'asked' him how many songs they would be performing before flashing up that now infamous shot of Lowry gesturing with two fingers.
presenter Maggie Molloy acknowledged the difficulties people face in buying a home. She was 23 years old when she went to the banks to see what money they would give her. She got €110k which went into a real fixer-upper. Her advice for first time buyers is to avoid trying to do everything at once: Don't build the extension in the first year, you don't need a €30k fitted kitchen and you don't need marble counter tops.
And she saluted the many new buyers who are snapping up cheaper houses and who are willing to get their hands dirty fixing them up.
Frances Black also brought up very current issues from addiction services to Palestine. She spoke passionately about visiting Gaza which she noted is 2.5 times the size of County Louth but which has 2.5million people existing there.
She highlighted her upcoming meeting with the Tánaiste and said she hopes that the Occupied Territories Bill isn't watered down and is enacted "this side of the summer". This proposed law would ban and criminalise "trade with and economic support for illegal settlements in territories deemed occupied under international law".
