7 February 2026
By Parr O’Dee
news@TheCork.ie
Satirical news / parody
A local man in his mid‑20s is said to be “shaken but not stirred” after accidentally watching The Late Late Show for a full seven minutes on Friday night.
The incident occurred when the man, who wishes to remain anonymous “for obvious reasons,” sat on the remote while scrolling his phone, unknowingly switching from Netflix to RTÉ One.
By the time he looked up, he had already witnessed:
- A mildly emotional interview with someone he didn’t recognise
- A musical performance aimed squarely at people who own three slow cookers
- Ryan Tubridy’s spiritual successor asking the audience to “give them a big round of applause” for the fourth time in two minutes
“I Didn’t Know What Was Happening”
Speaking from his home in the hinterlands of Mallow, the man described the moment he realised what he’d done.
“I heard clapping. Not normal clapping — RTÉ clapping. I looked up and saw a couch, a mug, and a man in a blazer talking about a book launch. I panicked. I froze. I couldn’t find the remote.”
He attempted to change the channel using voice control, but the TV misheard “Turn it off!” as “Turn it up!” causing the volume to spike to a dangerous level.
Family React Quickly
His housemates rushed to the scene after hearing distressed noises.
“He kept saying, ‘Why is everyone smiling like that?’” said one witness. “We wrapped him in a blanket and made him tea until the colour came back to his face.”
Experts Issue Warning
Media experts say men in their 20s are particularly vulnerable to accidental Late Late exposure due to:
- Sitting on remotes
- Falling asleep during YouTube
- Visiting their parents’ house on a Friday
A spokesperson added: “Symptoms include confusion, mild despair, and an overwhelming urge to buy a charity calendar.”
Full Recovery Expected
Doctors say the man is expected to make a full recovery, though he may experience flashbacks whenever he hears the words “And after the break…”
He has since placed a parental lock on RTÉ One “for safety reasons.”


