EIGHT-year-old Shane Logue from Newcastle West is the envy of all his pals this week, having been selected from thousands of applicants to test the toys for Santa’s Sack on this Friday’s Late Late Toy Show.
“I’m about one per cent nervous, but very excited,” Shane told the Limerick Post as his family made preparations to travel to Dublin for the live screening on Friday night (9.30pm on RTÉ One).
Shane was not allowed to discuss anything about what he will be reviewing on the show, but he did say he enjoyed the audition in Montrose immensely.
“They were all very nice to me and I got to go on a train for the first time ever. Trains are the best,” he said.
Shane’s mother, Mairead, sent a short video of her son when the show put out a call for applicants.
“He’s always loved being on stage. He was part of the Desmond Drama group in Newcastle West before lockdown. It was a fairly casual thing. We sent it in on the last day,” Mairead said.
“We were delighted when we heard he was being invited for an audition. There were 4,000 that applied and out of that, they got down to 80 children, and then down to 15 and Shane made it. We’re all very excited for him,” she said.
Having gotten a taste for treading the boards, and now preparing to go live before the cameras, Shane has his heart set on a career in acting.
“I’d really love to be in films,” said the Limerick lad whose current favourite movie is Toy Story 2.
His classmates and teachers from Killoughteen National School will all be tuned in on Friday, while his mother Mairead, father Paul, brother Paul Óg, and sister Clara Mae will all be Dublin bound to offer support.
“I didn’t meet Patrick Kielty yet but I don’t think I’ll be nervous,” said the Newcastle West trouper.
