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The Rubberbandits have signed up with RTE to do a programme about the 1916 Rising.

It’s the first full Rubberbandits show on the national broadcaster as previously Blindboy Boatclub and Mr Chrome have only ever appeared on The Republic Of Telly for sketches.

And it is hoped the new programme will lead to a series for RTE.

A television insider said: “The new programme will be about 1916 and why it happened.

“It will take a look at the strange stories that happened around 1916 and why Irish revolutions happened in general.

“It will be created and presented by The Rubberbandits along with James Cotter who produced Republic Of Telly and Oliver Callan.”

The 1916 programme will be one hour long but it is hoped that a series will be commissioned on the back of it.

The insider added: “If it works there will be a series where The Rubberbandits will explore different areas of Irish history from their own perspectives.”

The last time the bandits appeared on RTE was about 18 months ago but they have never had their own show on a home channel.

It is thought the new series will give 1916 the same treatment as The Rubberbandits’ Guide To Limerick which was a big hit on The Republic Of Telly.

The insider said: “The Rubberbandits wrote and performed three shorts for Channel 4’s Comedy Blaps a couple of years ago but they have never done their own show for RTE before now.

“They are going to be filming the series soon but it might be closer to the anniversary when it is shown.”

The bandits first hit the big time when their video for Horse Outside was shown on The Republic Of Telly.

And now the song has racked up over 13 million hits on YouTube.

At the minute The Rubberbandits are finishing off their latest tour Continental Fistfight.

An insider said: “They took the Edinburgh Festival by storm, they released their own album and their tours do big business.

“So far Horse Outside is the bandits’ biggest success in Ireland but they have been missed from our screens.

“Their Guide To Limerick was also widely watched on YouTube with over a million hits so it makes sense for RTE to give them their own show.”