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Zara set for a starring role in iconic toy show

PRIMARY school pupil from Co Fermanagh is set to play a starring role in tonight's Late Late Toy Show.

Zara Welsh will chat to host Ryan Tubridy on the flagship RTÉ show as she gives her verdict on a range of children's toys.

The seven-year-old from Enniskillen was chosen from thousands of applicants to appear on Ireland's most-watched television programme.

Zara applied to take part after being amazed by the festive extravaganza last year when she watched it with her family for the first time.

Her mother Una Welsh yesterday said Zara was "very excited" about being involved in the annual Christmas show.

"She just loved the performances and the singing and dancing. Zara loves toys and loves playing and she just loved the show," she said.

Zara, a pupil at Model Primary School in Enniskillen, travelled to Dublin to audition after her parents sent a clip to show bosses.

"We watched the show last year and Zara saw the kids on the television and said she would like to do that, so we decided to send off a clip to RTÉ," said Mrs Welsh, who works as a podiatrist.

Zara will be accompanied to the studio by her mother but due to the large number of children involved her father Chris, a vet, and four-year-old brother Harry will watch at home.

Mrs Welsh said they had been sworn to secrecy over the types of toys Zara will be testing, but said her daughter had enjoyed them.

"I'm very proud that she has got this far because it's a really big thing and it's very exciting, and I hope she really enjoys it," she said.

For more than a decade The Late Late Toy Show has been Ireland's most watched TV programme with an average of 1.4 million viewers tuning in last year.

The theme this year is the musical Chitty Chitty Bang Bang with presenter Ryan Tubridy taking part in the opening performance.

Tubridy will also wear four jumpers hand-knitted by viewers at different stages during the programme.

A record number of children and toys have been packed into tonight's show with 269 children taking part, 200 featured toys and over 300 used for set design.

Ahead of tonight's show, host Ryan Tubridy said: "I'm really excited about what we have planned.

"It's one of my favourite shows of the year and it promises to be as fun and entertaining as ever."

The Toy Show first began in the early 1970s as a 30-minute slot at the end of The Late Late Show and was designed as a guide to the must-have Christmas toys.

Gay Byrne presented the annual programme until Pat Kenny took over in 1999 and then Tubridy in 2009. n The Late Late Toy Show will be broadcast on RTÉ One tonight from 9.35pm