When The Late Late Show returns to our screens this Friday, Ryan Tubridy has confirmed that it will mark the first show in 49 editions to feature a studio audience.

A "very, very small" group will be allowed to watch the iconic Irish chat show, which will celebrate its 59th anniversary this year.

"We have a very, very small audience for the first time in... What was it? Forty-nine shows we did straight without an audience?" Tubridy told listeners of his radio show this morning.

"We're going to have about...Everything - everything - is being done to the letter of the law in terms of guidelines and what we can and cannot do. So, I think we have about... We normally would have 200 people there; I think we're going to have an audience of 28."

Rumours for guests and upcoming shows would not be complete without mentioning the rumblings of a tribute show to Bob Geldof, who turns 70 on October 5.

"It's a start. And we always said that we'd only return with an audience when everyone else can have an audience, so if you can have a little audience the way you have in theatres, whatever, we'll do it that way. And then, when it goes bigger and bigger, we'll go bigger and bigger.

"I'll start telling you about the guests during the week because they're terrific."

We're so excited to be back!

The new season starts Friday, 3rd September ✨✨✨#RTENewSeason#LateLate pic.twitter.com/0mylDCLnei

— The Late Late Show (@RTELateLateShow) August 19, 2021