Fair City star Tommy O'Neill has announced he is leaving the RTE soap after 20 years.
Tommy played the role of Detective John Deegan, who has patrolled the streets of Carrigstown for over two decades.
But now, the soap star has announced his permanent departure from the show.
Speaking of the news, Tommy commented: "It wasn't an easy decision to leave, but I will always treasure my time on Fair City and the incredible cast and crew that I have worked with over the last two decades, who have given me so many amazing memories and lifelong friendships."
READ MORE: RTE Fair City star Tommy O'Neill 'blessed to be alive' after being told he had just months to live
Much-loved character Deegan has been involved in a myriad of explosive storylines and investigations on the soap over the years, including Ciaran's kidnap of Katy, Cristiano's domestic abuse, Karne's murder and Will's murder.
Detective Deegan retired from the force in May 2022. Dreading his retirement, Olwen tried to cheer him up with a surprise party at which she gave him an illegal cannabis tincture to try and help with his pain issues. He unsuspectingly took the concoction, before Olwen discovered that her plants became infested with insects.
Fair City’s Executive Producer Brigie De Courcy said: "Tommy O'Neill has been a force for joy since his first days on Fair City. He has made John Deegan into a uniquely loveable character, and he will be hugely missed by the cast, crew and writers. We all wish him well in the next adventure."
Last year, Tommy revealed he felt "blessed" to still be alive after he was diagnosed with stage four cancer and was given just months to live.
"I was very sick, I had cancer, I was actually dying. I was stage four," he told us at the time.
"I tell ya, I was very sick. I was saying to someone, you know, I've been an actor a long time. And I went on stage feeling like sh** and [with] all kind of different ailments.
"The last time I was in Fair City, I remember it was only for a day, and I remember sitting down in my dressing room and even struggling trying to put my boots on, jaysus I’ll never forget that day.
"I thought ‘jaysus, am I even going to be able to get down to do this?'
"And I did that scene and then I had to call them and say, ‘I don't think I'm going to make next week'."
He went on: "[Doctors] said ‘You’ve got like 18 months maybe to live, and then the girl says ‘he is being generous giving you 18 months’.
"So thank God, I mean I am a miracle, I shouldn’t be here," he added at the time.
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