The Late Late Toy Show is probably one of the best loved TV shows in Ireland and at this point it's essentially a Christmas tradition, but TV3 is set to attempt to shake things up this year by broadcasting its very own Showpal Christmas Toys show.

Yup, you read that right folks: TV3 is doing a Toy Show. Mind you, it's only going to be 30 minutes long, and it's on air at the 'more child-friendly time of 8pm giving kids the chance to see a spectacular display of toys in a beautiful Christmas setting – all before bed time.' We think they've missed a trick there though, sure isn't being allowed stay up past bedtime the best thing about that fateful Friday night?

Anyway, they're drafting in resident jack of all trades Alan Hughes to host the whole thing and he'll be bringing Christmas magic to the kiddies live on Ireland AM on November 29th, with a recap of all the action on TV3 at 8pm that evening. Santa, his elves and all their reindeer friends will arrive at Tattersalls Winter Wonderland in Ratoath, Co. Meath that morning, with Alan there to greet them from 10am.

TV3 is taking the whole Toy Show experience up a notch though, offering mammy and daddy the chance to reserve and/or buy the toys they see on screen through their ShowPal app. So, when the kids start screaming "I want", all the parents have to do is press a button and hey presto, they'll get it come Christmas morning. Bet that'll be fun for the parents whose kids are more tech savvy than them, eh?

Oh, and would you believe, they've even got their own version of the Billie Barry kids in. The gang from the Waterford based Richie Hayes Stage School will be performing a festive piece to get us all in the spirit. Hold on a second, isn't he your man who did The Voice of Ireland a few years back?

Anyway, the gauntlet has most definitely been thrown down, and now all we need is to see Tubs and Alan engaging in their very own Toy Show Celebrity Death Match. Who wins? You decide.