BREAKING: Ray Dolan announced as new host of Late Late Show

Entertainer, musician and proud Mullingar man, Ray Dolan, has been announced as the new anchor of The Late Late Show.

Ray will be taking over from Ryan Tubridy when the new season begins in September.

No stranger to Montrose studios, Ray has played alongside his uncle, legendary singer Joe Dolan, in the time of Gay Byrne, and in latter years as part of the Dolan Show with Ryan Tubridy.

It's understood the call from RTÉ came on the back of Ray's success with his Twelve Bongs and Bus Sessions show, and the feedback received following his appearance on the Ray D'Arcy Show on Radio One last week.

"I was driving the bus when I got the call, I had to pull over because I thought it was a crank call at first," Ray admits, but he has big plans for taking the longest running live chat show forward.

"The team are currently working on designing a new set, one which will incorporate the bus - yes, I plan to have the bus in studio!

"I'm also looking forward to having plenty of Mullingar guests on - we've such a depth of talent here, I plan to interview the whole of Westmeath!"