The Late Late Show presenter Ryan Tubridy says he doesn’t comment on anyone’s age anymore after being slated by actress Jamie-Lee O’Donnell.
RTÉ presenter Ryan faced an awkward moment on a recent episode of the show when hedespite her initially dodging the question.
It later emerged that he had previously asked her age – and been denied an answer – .
Jamie-Lee, who plays teenager Michelle in the acclaimed Channel 4 show, branded Ryan’s line of questioning ‘misogynistic’.
On Friday, Ryan hosted the latest episode of the Late Late Show where he spoke to Sky News presenter Kay Burley, who is celebrating more than 40 years on TV.
‘It is a long time,’ Kay told Ryan, adding: ‘This is where you say I don’t look that old!’
Ryan, laughing, quipped back: ‘Oh no, I actually don’t comment on age anymore.’
He added it was ‘probably a wise thing.’
The conversation comes after Jamie-Lee appeared as a guest on the Late Late Show in April, where Ryan asked her age.
Jamie-Lee jokingly quipped back that she was 117 years old and ‘very, very wise.’
Despite Jamie-Lee swerving the question, Ryan pushed again and repeated: ‘Would you consider telling me what age you are?’
At which point Jamie-Lee gave an answer – starting with ‘this gets on my nerves a wee bit’.
‘It’s always quite misogynistic even if it’s not intentionally misogynistic, because men don’t get the same scrutiny,’ she began.
Ryan jumped in to defend the questioning, saying he ‘would definitely’ have asked a male actor the same question if he was playing a teenager in a show, to which Michelle said she’d simply have to take his word for it.
The host explained that he only asked the question because Jamie-Lee is playing a teenager and does it ‘so well,’ insisting there ‘was a compliment in there’.
Jamie-Lee thanked him and started to continue but Ryan again jumped in to say she didn’t have to answer and they could ‘move on to something else because I can read a mood when I see it’.
To which a smiling Jamie-Lee replied: ‘I was going to give you a hilarious anecdote but go ahead.’
