Patrick Kielty is going back to his stand-up comedy roots with a return to Dublin's Vicar Street for the first time in 20 years.
The Late Late Show host, 53, is bringing back his critically-acclaimed stand-up show, Borderline. The show is described by Kielty as "a comedic love letter to the future of our islands from his personal past".
The comedian takes aim at Brexit, borders, protocols and politicians, as he tries to make sense of what a dis-United Kingdom and a dis-United Ireland means for the future of our islands. Born in Dundrum, Co Down, the father of two began his comedic career as the host of Belfast's first comedy club, The Empire Laughs Back, in the early '90s.
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Kielty hasn't performed in Dublin's iconic Vicar Street in 20 years and will return there for the Borderline show in June 2025. The comedian first performed the show in 2022.
At the time, Kielty said he believed stand-up shows should only be performed if "you've actually got something to say". Speaking to The Irish News two years ago, he said: "The thing that's really driven this show and really changed things for me is that politics in these islands has changed because of Brexit."
"Northern Ireland is now very much at the epicentre of what's going on in a wider political arena. I think the lessons we have learned here, how we look at borders and live alongside people who are 'different' to us and how that makes these islands work or, sometimes, not work are actually pretty pertinent to a wider audience right now."
The stand-up tour will kick off after Kielty finishes his second season at the helm of the Late Late Show. Tickets for Borderline are €40 and will be released for sale on November 14 through Ticketmaster.
This comes as The Late Late Show was cancelled on Friday night as Kielty and the team recorded their New Year's Eve special. The presenter confirmed the news on last week's show, adding that it is business as usual from Friday, November 15.
Next week, the comedian will be joined by Hollywood superstar Paul Mescal. The Kildare native will be promoting his new film, Gladiator II. An Irish premiere for its cinematic release took place on Thursday at the Lighthouse Cinema in Dublin, as hundreds of fans filled the streets to get a glimpse of the A-lister. Speaking on the red carpet, the Normal People star, 28, said the turn-out for the premiere in his home country was "mental".
He added: "I haven't done anything on this scale. I know what it's like to get out in front of a film. But this is different. We go to all of these incredible cities. You're on this train. But this is something that I was never, ever anticipating. I honestly can't get over it."
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