Ardal O’Hanlon to join the cast of Derry Girls
Ardal O'Hanlon is set to join the cast of Derry Girls.
The actor, best known for his role as hapless priest Dougal on Father Ted, will make an appearance as a guest star in the upcoming series.
According to Channel 4, the Father Ted star will play "Eamonn, the awkward, middle-aged mummy's boy of the Quinn/McCool extended family".
Speaking to the RadioTimes.com, Saoirse-Monica Jackson, who plays Erin Quinn, said “Ardal O’Hanlon joins our family this year, which is brilliant”
And before we even had to ask, actress Nicola Coughlan - who plays Claire - confirmed that she was not playing a priest, just a "real Irish stereotype".
“I think it’s something that everybody will recognise, and he completely gets it so on the money,” she said.
“It was really surreal, just looking at him, because he’s such an iconic figure in Ireland, and he’s such a lovely man. He’s so good in it.”
She went on to describe an awkward situation on set where she and her fellow cast members were warned of “bullying” their new co-star.
There’s a scene where it gets quite physical, and [writer and creator] Lisa [McGee] came over. She was like, ‘Don’t bully Ardal’. And we were like, ‘We’re not bullying him, he’s like a national treasure!
Derry Girls will return to our screens next month.
