Major RTE Late Late Show production plot could see Patrick Kielty ‘up earnings’

HOST Patrick Kielty could pocket half a million if RTE hire his own production company to make The Late Late Show.

Director General Kevin Bakhurst this week revealed the station’s flagship programme may soon be produced externally in conjunction with an RTE editorial team.

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Insiders say Paddy, as the Late Late presenter, will have the biggest say over which company makes the show.

And he will want it in the hands of Green Inc, the Northern Irish production company he founded with business ­partner Stephen Stewart.

TV insiders say RTE could pay Green Inc around €15,000 an episode, with 30 shows a season — €450,000 in total.

In the UK, Graham Norton also ­profits from his own production company making his BBC talk show.

An industry source told The Irish Sun: “There is huge scrutiny over what RTE pays Paddy, so by hiring his own company to make the show they could up his ­earnings and tie him into the Late Late for years.”

Green Inc already produces Crimecall for RTE as well as The 2 Johnnies’ Late Night Lock In and Claire Byrne’s Ireland’s Smartest quiz.

And Paddy brought Emmy-winning director Stewart into RTE to direct the opening episodes of The Late Late Show.

RTE’s Head of Entertainment Alan Tyler, whose idea it was to hire Paddy as Late Late presenter, is said to be impressed with Green Inc’s track record of delivering high-quality shows.

An RTE source told us: “Dancing With The Stars and The Tommy Tiernan Show are made by outside companies for RTE. Why not The Late Late Show as well?”

But there is strong opposition from unions at the State broadcaster.

Martin Mannion, a Siptu organiser, voiced concerns to Prime Time about the job cuts that would ­follow The Late Late Show and Fair City being made off-site by independent companies.

Martin said: “People recognise The Late Late Show and Fair City as RTE, and to move it out is like getting rid of the family jewels.

“I think it would be a ­short-term gain for management, but a long-term loss to everybody involved in this.”

But an industry source told us: “Hiring Patrick as host has been brilliant for the Late Late but the rest of the production needs an overhaul. Giving it out to an independent production company would do that.”

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