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Pauline McLynn relishes reunion with Ardal O’Hanlon

Pauline McLynn relished reunion with Ardal O’Hanlon credit:Bang Showbiz
Pauline McLynn relished reunion with Ardal O’Hanlon credit:Bang Showbiz

Pauline McLynn laughed "for about five minutes" about her reunion with Ardal O’Hanlon.

The 59-year-old actress previously starred alongside Ardal, 56, in classic Channel 4 comedy 'Father Ted', and she was thrilled to find out she'll be working with him on the set of her new Sky show, 'Rosie Molloy Gives Up Everything'.

Pauline - who starred as Mrs Doyle in 'Father Ted' - shared: "The producers were like, 'Are you not curious as to who is playing your husband?'

"So I said well, obviously I am. They said it’s Ardal O’Hanlon.

"According to the producer, I just laughed for about five minutes and I said, ‘That’s a good laugh’.

"I’ve no idea why it’s taken 25 years. I don’t know. I guess we were just off doing other things. Or else Ardal has a court order that I don’t know about!"

Pauline played a central role in 'Father Ted' between 1995 and 1998.

And although she's subsequently starred in a host of other high-profile shows, the actress still gets reminded about her time on the comedy series.

Pauline told the Daily Mirror newspaper: "I do get shouted at on the street a lot or people asking me for tea and I don’t have it - that’s the only drawback if there is one.

"It’s a joy that all these years later people still want to talk about it."

Meanwhile, Ardal previously revealed he made a conscious effort to distance himself from 'Father Ted' after the show ended.

The actor - who played Father Dougal McGuire - explained: "Once we finished 'Father Ted' I really wanted to distance myself from it, much as I was always very proud and fond of it. I know the viewers are still very attached, but you were looking for the next job.

"You can’t rest on your laurels, you have to move on."

Responding to his and Pauline's reunion, he has now quipped: "I've managed to avoid Pauline for 25 years but somehow I think we managed to make a very convincing older couple thanks to our history together and our shorthand, and our affection for each other."