Ryan Tubridy aims to be the Greatest Showman on tonight's Toy Show

But it’s more likely that the main stars of tonight’s show — the children — will be running rings around Tubridy.

This year’s Toy Show has a huge cast, with more than 200 young performers and 30 toy testers taking part.

The children come from all over Ireland and the youngest is just three and a half years old.

Tubridy said it is his 10th year in “this bonkers extravaganza” and he is very excited about it, and a bit emotional.

“This year I am going to be PT Barnum as played by Hugh Jackman in The Greatest Showman,” said Tubridy, who will be singing at the top of the show.

His youngest daughter had suggested they see the film together some time ago.

He thought the film would be awful but relented when his daughter pleaded with him to go with her — Tubridy ended up enjoying it from start to finish.

“Having The Greatest Showman as our theme this year is helping to emphasise the essence of what I believe the Toy Show should be — inclusive,” he said.

“This year we are celebrating the kid who doesn’t get Snapchatted, or who doesn’t always have someone to sit beside on the bus.

These kids aren’t lonely or unhappy, they just find joy in their own way.

“This year’s show will be wrapped up in kindness and warmth and humour. So, as the song goes, see you on the other side.”

Tubridy said the odds must be very short on him making “a muppet” of himself because he does that every year.

He said he will be dressed as the ringmaster for the opening number, which is “pretty intense”, but added that he will emerge in a Christmas jumper at some point. “I am pretty nervous this time... I have only acted the maggot but they have asked me to sing.”

Tubridy said he is stepping out of his comfort zone and will be feeling very exposed: “But it has been 10 years. All the kids put themselves out so why shouldn’t I? I am going to give it a bit of welly.”

Tubridy said the Toy Show is the only Late Late Show of the year that he would look back on because he felt he was looking at “a cartoon” of himself. “If you ever want to get a glimpse of what I am like in real life — the weekly thing is just my job, but the Toy Show is more the essence of me. I’m a messer.”

Before meeting the media yesterday, Tubridy had spent the morning meeting children with difficult stories and found it hard going. “It is humbling and heart-breaking because they come to you and hug you like you are their relative,” he said.

“They think I have got this strange Santa power — I don’t, and it is hard to understand.”

Teenagers Chloe Burke, Kate Byrne, and Aoife McCormack, who found they just like singing together will be appearing on the Toy Show tonight.

The third-year students at Loreto Secondary School in Dalkey, Co Dublin, understand why Tubridy is a hit with the children.

“He talks to everybody; he is very friendly and is never in a bad mood,” said Kate.

“He is easy to talk to and is always making jokes,” said Chloe.

Toy Show producer Eimear O’Mahony said a seven-strong team has been working on bringing the magic of Barnum’s Circus since September.

There are 200 seats in the small studio where the circus-themed set has been created. More than 100,000 people applied for tickets this year.

All the toys featured on the show will be donated to charity following the broadcast.