A TikTok video has gone viral and has stolen the hearts of many as one Balamory super fan received a video message from his idol Miss Hoolie.
Oisin Roberts Browne, 16, has autism and cerebral palsy, and absolutely adores the hit children's television programme which is still loved by many despite no longer creating new episodes. Oisin’s Uncle Eric tried to make his nephew's day by tracking down interactive Balamory toys or memorabilia and, after being unsuccessful, he decided to take matters into his own hands.
Eric decided to reach out to Scots actress Julie Wilson Nimmo, who played Miss Hoolie, on Instagram to see if she could help. And he was blown away when she responded and went one step further than he asked her to. Taking to TikTok to share the outcome, Eric told his 454k followers: “My nephew has cerebral palsy and he is absolutely obsessed with a show called Balamory, ‘what’s the story in Balamory wouldn’t you like to know’.
“More specifically, he is obsessed with a character from that show called Miss Hoolie. “Oisin really wanted a talking teddy or a talking Miss Hoolie but it doesn’t exist and believe me I’ve looked.
“I went on a detective mission and I happened to find Miss Hoolie on Instagram. I messaged her and Miss Hoolie replied. I couldn’t get a talking toy Miss Hoolie but I got the real Miss Hoolie.”
And when Eric showed Oisin the video, he was absolutely over the moon.
In the video, Julie Wilson Nimmo can be heard saying: “Hi Oisin, it’s Miss Hoolie here”. The TikTok has received over 670,000 views and more than 91,000 likes. Eric added: “Oisin has autism and cerebral palsy and gets hyper fixated on things. Previously it was to go to Croke Park and recently it has been Balamory, he will become fixated with the object so he watches Balamory everyday and his favourite character was Miss Hoolie. It took a bit of Googling to find some dolls but they didn’t talk and Oisin likes interactive toys, there were plush dolls but those wouldn’t cut it either. Eventually I found Miss Hoolie on Instagram but I wasn’t sure if it was her so I sent a message, she was wonderful and I think this might have been the best surprise yet, he watched the video three or four times in a row.”
Balamory was the children's TV programme which aired on BBC between 2002 and 2005.
The show was based around eight central characters with each one wearing a distinctive colour of clothing which matched the colour of their house.
Balamory is a fictional town but was filmed mostly in Tobermory on the Isle of Mull, except from the scenes at Archie's pink castle, which were filmed in East Lothian.
Miss Hoolie was the show's nursery teacher who donned a smile along with her all-green outfit, she was played by Julie Wilson Nimmo, who is married to Still Game actor Greg Hemphill.
In 2017, she starred in BBC Scotland comedy show Scot Squad and played DC Megan Squire.
In 2018, she appeared in an episode of Still Game, alongside her her other half who plays main character Victor McDade.
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