The 2 Johnnies Late Night Lock In is back for Season 4
The 2 Johnnies are back, and honestly, Thursday nights just got a whole lot better. The 2 Johnnies Late Night Lock In returned for Season 4 on RTÉ2 and RTÉ Player on Thursday at 10.10pm, and if the first episode is anything to go by, it’s going to be an absolutely brilliant run.
Johnny B and Johnny Smacks are kicked things off with a seriously good lineup. Jennifer Zamparelli is in the hot seat first, chatting about her television career and dipping back into her hidden-camera mischief from The Fear, plus she’s sharing a few stories about married life with her husband Lau. Jarlath Regan is also on the couch, explaining — and this is something we genuinely need settled — the difference between a gobshite and an eejit. He’ll also be talking about life as an Irishman abroad and why, apparently, having an Irish accent is basically a superpower overseas. Paddy McDonnell joins the lads from Belfast to deliver a stand-up set, and Galway trad band Clada play out the show with “Step It Out Mary”.
Same energy, bigger season
Johnny Smacks summed it up pretty perfectly when he said: “When we started the show, the idea was basically to bring the craic of a great Irish night out onto the telly — a bit of music, brilliant guests, plenty of messing and absolutely no guarantee that Johnny B will stick to the running order.”
He’s not wrong. What makes The Late Night Lock In work so well is exactly that feeling of stumbling into a pub on a Thursday night, finding yourself sitting beside someone you never expected to meet and then suddenly you’re staying for one more. It’s loose and warm and genuinely funny, and in a landscape full of polished, over-produced television it kind of stands out a mile.
Smacks added: “This season we’ve gone bigger again. We’ve got some unreal guests coming through the doors, great live music, and a few surprises that I’m fairly sure RTÉ haven’t fully thought through yet.” Which, honestly, is the most reassuring thing we’ve heard all week.
The Parish Quiz is back too
For those who’ve been waiting — yes, The Parish Quiz is returning. Local pride very much on the line.
Each week throughout the season viewers can expect big-name guests, live music, comedy sets and the kind of unpredictable warmth that’s made The Late Night Lock In one of the most talked-about shows on Irish telly. It’s multi-award-winning at this point, and yet it still manages to feel like something that could fall apart at any moment — which is precisely the charm.
The 2 Johnnies Late Night Lock In Season 4 airs on Thursday nights on RTÉ2 and RTÉ Player at 10.10pm. Get yourself settled in.
