The 47th season of The Late Late Show, the world's longest-running chat show, began on 5 September 2008 and concluded on 29 May 2009. It aired on RTÉ One each Friday evening from 21:30. As by then customary, the series featured a variety of unpleasant moments for the presenter, Pat Kenny, who grappled with issues as diverse as viewer telephone competitions, contentious performances and perplexing interviewees. This season also marked the only occasion on which Kenny was absent during his ten-year tenure, following the unexpected death of his mother. Gerry Ryan guest-hosted the 24 October edition of the show in Kenny's absence. In February 2009, Kenny was widely criticised by the Irish media for his attempted interview of the Pete Doherty, when he personalised the English rock musician and
