‘It’s just very exciting’: Carlow girl prepares to dance on Late Late Toy Show AGAIN

A 12-year-old girl from Co. Carlow is getting ready to be on The Late Late Toy Show for the third time.

Lexi Young Byrne from Hacketstown first appeared on the show in 2017, when she was just four.

She featured again last year and is now preparing for her third appearance on the show. 

“It feels very good. It's just very exciting, you know?,” Lexi said. 

Lexi says she’s feeling mostly excited but there are a little bit of nerves.

“I’m a little bit nervous when I think about it but when you're on the night, it's just you don't even think about that. You're just trying your best,” she said.

Lexi says it takes a lot of practice and preparation for the night.

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She goes to rehearsals twice a week in the RTÉ studios in Dublin, which can be tiring, meaning she sometimes has to miss school. 

“I try to go to school as much as I can, but I have to miss a few days, even if I have to go in for half days sometimes. My teachers don't mind,” Lexi said. 

Rehearsals are a lot of fun, but there is so much involved in putting on a national show for live TV. 

“So we have to learn all the words to the song so we can sing it. Then sometimes people have to do backing tracks, which is singing the song. We have to get our costumes ready and they have to build a set. We don't see the set until the week of it, but they have to build it,” she explained.

The theme of this year’s Toy Show is yet to be revealed for the public, but those taking part know what it is. 

“I'm not allowed to tell anyone. I've probably let it slip a few times, but not very obviously. It's hard though,” Lexi said.

Her friends and family are excited for the big reveal, but will have to watch on TV. 

Friends is something that has been a huge part of being involved in the Late Late Toy Show. 

“You make new friends because Spotlight has people from Carlow and from Navan. So you get to meet people and you get to make lots of good friends,” Lexi said.

Spotlight is the name of the stage school Lexi is part of.

The auditions for the Toy Show took place through it.

Spotlight has also given Lexi the opportunity to perform in the upcoming Olympia Pantomime.

This year the Pantomime is ‘Ollie goes to Oz.’

Lexi says she would “very much like” to be a professional dancer when she grows up. 

The Late Late Toy Show will air on Friday, December 5 at 9:35pm.