TV & Radio

Russell Crowe posts tribute to Ryan Tubridy: ‘We’re mates – played a bit of tennis, had the odd drink or two’

‘I love the vibe of your television show,’ the star tells The Late Late Show’s departing host

Russell Crowe's video message to Ryan Tubridy after his final Late Late Show is one of many the presenter recieved from stars over the last week. Photograph: Twitter

Mon May 29 2023 - 10:41

Russell Crowe has tweeted a video tribute to Ryan Tubridy to mark the end of his 14 years as host of The Late Late Show.

“Every single time I’ve come on your show I’ve really enjoyed it,” says the actor, speaking from a gig he was playing at the Gershwin Room at the Espy hotel – or Hotel Esplanade – in Melbourne.

“I love the vibe of your television show. And I love what you’ve done and I’m really proud of what you’ve achieved in 15 years, because now we’re mates and I can say things like that to you – we’ve played a bit of tennis, had the odd drink or two,” he tells the broadcaster.

Tubridy’s final Late Late Show, on Friday night, included a clip from 2015 of a grumpy Crowe telling the studio audience, as he sang and played guitar, “If you’re going to clap, clap in time. If you can’t clap in time, just shut up.”

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The programme had some heavyweight cameos, too. “I love how brilliant and smart and kind and cheeky you are,” the actor Saoirse Ronan said in one video message. “I hear you’re learning to play guitar – not a good idea,” Paul McCartney joked in another. Bono and the Edge sent Tubridy a red Vespa scooter as a parting gift from U2.

[ A chapter closes, another potentially lucrative one opens for Ryan Tubridy ]

“All the best for the adventures ahead Ryan,” Crowe tells Tubridy in his video message.

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