Talk show gag triggers payout

Bookmakers Paddy Power have paid up on his flutter after he sat in the host’s chair of RTE’s flagship Late Late Show for just five minutes on Friday.

Everyone else who backed the 37-year-old stand-up will also be paid – costing the bookie more than €5,000 – although existing bets on other possible successors to Pat Kenny will still stand.

Courtney was on the world’s longest-running talk show to promote his solo show at Dublin’s Vicar Street venue later this week. At the end of his interview the comic whipped out a betting docket showing that he had backed himself for the job at odds of 33/1. 

Kenny promptly swapped seats and allowed himself to be interviewed by Courtney, so he could get his payout.

A Paddy Power spokesman said: ‘Seeing as Paddy did actually take over hosting duties on the Late Late Show, if only for five minutes, we’re going to pay out on him.  But to be fair to all other backers their bets will still stand until a permanent replacement for Pat is announced.’

Courtney, who will be donating his winnings the Down Syndrome Association of Ireland, said ‘I’m still in shock that Pat went along with it, so I have to say a huge thanks to him and to everyone who backed me at 33/1. 

‘I would like to officially withdraw from the running as I want to concentrate on comedy and acting for the next while.  I’m still waiting on RTE to ring me with news of my own show though!’

Presenter Miriam O’Callaghan remains the bookies’ favourite to take over the the Late Late show job when Kenny leaves at the end of the current series, at odds of 2/5. Among the outsiders are Dara O Briain  at 50/1, Patrick Kielty  at 66/1  and former Taoiseach Bertie Ahern at 100/1.

Published: 20 Apr 2009