Fair City actor Tony Tormey has revealed how his two kids are “mortified” by him and see him as an embarrassing dad.
Tony said his 18-year-old son Max and daughter Issey, 15, ask him to wear a baseball cap so he’s not easily recognised when out with them.
Speaking to the Irish Sunday Mirror, the soap star, who played Paul Brennan on the RTE show since 1989 said: “My kids are mortified by me, I’m the embarrassing dad. Max is 18 and Issey is 15.
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“They have had people coming up and sitting at our table and all that and they tell me to wear my cap when I’m going out so we don’t get interrupted.”
The Dubliner also revealed how he has the most eclectic mix of people coming up to him, who are fans of the show, to say hello.
Tony added: “People who you wouldn’t expect come over to me when I’m out. It’s always blokes too who say, ‘I don’t watch it myself but my missus watches it’.
“There’s always a bit of banter and slagging. I’m slagged more than abused, it’s all done in good humour.
“The bold head on me is a big giveaway but if I put the cap on me and wear my glasses nobody recognises me at all.”
He has loved starring in Fair City, which he said is a great place for any actor to learn their trade.
Tony went on: “I started in 1989, 32 years ago. It only seems like yesterday, it has flown by. Glenroe was the only soap going at the time. The business wasn’t as prevalent as it is now with so much going on.
“I wouldn’t have stayed if I didn’t enjoy it. I’m lucky as there are not many actors who get a new script every two weeks.
“It’s the best training ground ever for people who are starting off, no matter what age you are.
“It’s a different skill. On stage it’s bigger and broader, but on TV a blink of an eye or look can say two pages of dialogue.
“You get more time to rehearse on stage too whereas we don’t get any time at all. We just go and do it in Fair City.”
And when it comes to favourite storylines, Tony said there is one in particular which stands out.
He added: “I have been very lucky in that there have been so many but I suppose I enjoyed doing the one involving Helen and when she died.
“She died after Paul killed her in a car crash and he was responsible because he had been drinking. That was my first big, heavy storyline.”
But he admitted that filming during the pandemic has added extra obstacles on set.
He said: “It’s been difficult during Covid because you can’t touch each other. Ruth [daughter] goes missing and comes back and I can’t hold her. We can’t even hold each other’s hands. It’s made it doubly challenging.”
On the show, Tony’s character Paul has seen his daughter Ruth run away after Orla slapped her. Paul has told Orla he can’t continue their relationship knowing what she did.
Fair City airs tonight at 8.30pm and on Tuesday and Thursday at 8pm.
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