Be prepared for emotional scenes on tonight's Toy Show

As families around the country prepare for the Late Late Toy Show tonight, Ryan Tubridy is predicting that there wont be "a dry eye in the land" when children with Irish roots join forces around the globe to sing the Take That torch song 'Rule the World'.

The song, led by Eva Norton will see the young stars sending their Christmas wishes back to their loved ones in Ireland, at a time when many families are not travelling home because of Covid-19 restrictions.

Eva, from Lucan is joined by: Ryan Tillman from Adelaide, Emma Rosemond in Times Square, the Aisling Céilí Ballad Group in New York City, Shay Gallagher in Bahrain, Lili Joy Kelly in Perth, Tara Neiland in South Korea, and the Ginnity, Melady, Kelly and Lenehan families in Adelaide for the pre-recorded performance.

Also featured are: Brendan Griffin in Rochester in New York, Dáithí Fitzgerald in Dubai, Abbi Houton in Boston, Liam and Soaah Slattery in Maryland, Moya Forde in Johannesburg, Kiera Arthur in Canberra, Rosemary Whelan in Melbourne, Isabelle Bonas in Dubai, the Gota Murphy brothers in Madrid, Joshua Earls in Auckland, Taylor Hayes in Florida, and Millie May O'Mahoney in Tasmania.

For their special moment, the Aisling Céilí Ballad Group in New York had an early 6am start to film in a deserted Times Square during the week of the US Presidential Election.

"I don't think there will be a dry eye in the land tonight when this performance is beamed across the country," said Ryan.

"Seeing these children - who all have much-missed and much-loved family back here in Ireland - come together to sing from every corner on Rule the World - I think it will soften the hardest of hearts.

"It's a performance that encapsulates the year that was, and bright hopes for the future, and that children everywhere are going to go on to rule the world.

"It's really something very, very special and of the moment, and I'm not ashamed to admit that it really did stop me in my tracks and I was overcome with emotion.

"There are going to be many memorable moments on tonight's Late Late Toy Show; this is certainly a special one."

The Late Late Toy Show is one tonight on RTÉ One, RTÉ Player and with ISL on the RTÉ News channel at 9:35pm.