New Year’s Eve as a massive party night is, strangely, a very competitive TV ratings battle also.
So the chat shows pull out all the stops to secure the best guests (often filming the shows days in advance) – so Alan Carr should have had Keith Lemon as always, Jools Holland definitely has Seasick Steve and RTÉ presumably had either Brush Shiels or Johnny Logan or both.
Over on Graham Norton, the Corkonian was pulling out the big guns. Hollywood stars Marion Cotillard, Michael Fassbender and James McAvoy, plus comedian Frank Skinner were all on the couch.
Along with Skibbereen’s finest exports, Gary and Paul O’Donovan.
The lads were their usual charming selves – the same young men who won a nation’s heart when they won silver in the lightweight double sculls at the Rio Olympics.
We brought you the best of the pre-record earlier this week, but on Saturday night the UK public got to witness the siblings in all their glory and, while the reaction to the likeable souls was predictably positive. A lot of people did struggle to understand what the hell they were saying.
Like we said, many were still loving the banter.
https://twitter.com/marcofederici1/status/815376305952854020
I need subtitles for tonight's edition of #GrahamNorton – in the nicest possible way🙂- as for Pete Tong😀love this orchestral treatment
— Shefali Oza (@Shefali_oza) December 31, 2016
These lads seem funny … but I have literally zero idea what's going on 😂 #GrahamNorton
— Laura Alice (@laura_alice24) December 31, 2016
https://twitter.com/riakeen/status/815336159815602176
More seemed frustrated that they were missing out on some obvious craic.
https://twitter.com/TheFilmOracle/status/815336444650749952
https://twitter.com/Not_lizomzimba/status/815334711954407424
#GrahamNorton Subtitles!?!?
— 🌼 Amy 🌼 (@AmyIsHeRe) December 31, 2016
https://twitter.com/outlandishhenry/status/815334277407768576
Others were proud that they got their ear in early.
Don't want to brag but I understood every* word the O'Donovan brothers said on #GrahamNorton. #plasticpaddy #dadisfromcork *most
— Elaine O'Shaughnessy (@LaineOSH) December 31, 2016
I need subtitles for these two and I'm Irish #GrahamNorton
— Soldier-mixer (@karenMMeenan) December 31, 2016
Then some just seemed to be drained of festive spirit.
#GrahamNorton its a pity that the two rowers have to make a fool of themselves and of our country when appearing with real stars on bbc
— straightwhitemale#solidaritywithisrael (@brownysays) January 1, 2017
