Fans of the BBC’s 90s drama Ballykissangel will be delighted to hear that the series will be returning to screens after it was picked up by free-to-view channel Great TV.
All 58 episodes of the show, which aired between 1996 and 2001, will start airing on 2 February at 3pm. Episodes will then continue to be shown on Mondays through to Fridays.
Although the show was able to attract millions of viewers in its prime, towards the end of its run, it was averaging around five million viewers, leading to its cancellation. The show was subsequently replaced by BBC dramas including McCready & Daughter and Nice Guy Eddie.
Commenting on bringing the show back to screens, Kate Gartland, the marketing director for Great TV, said: “We are absolutely delighted that we can bring back this wonderful, heartwarming series for our viewers. In the late 90s it was an absolute must-see for millions of families who would sit down in front of the telly to watch it every Sunday night.
“The return of all 58 episodes taps into a wider appetite for comfort viewing and 1990s nostalgia that we know that Great TV viewers love to watch. For original viewers, it is a chance to revisit those storylines that were watercooler talk at the time. And for a new generation of viewers, it allows them to discover a truly iconic comedy drama.”
What was Ballykissangel?
Set in the fictional town of the same name, Ballykissangel was filmed in Avoca and Enniskerry, in Ireland. The name of the show was inspired by its creator, Kieran Prendiville, and his holidays at the townland of Ballykissane when he was a child.
Airing a year after divorce was legalised in Ireland, the show often played into what were considered controversial topics at the time, including divorce and pre-marital sex, with an overarching theme being the conflict between the traditions of Ireland and social liberalisation.
Fans were swept along with the characters’ romances, including the one that played out between Father Peter Clifford (Stephen Tompkinson) and independent publican Assumpta Fitzgerald (Dervla Kirwan), who herself was a critic of the Catholic Church.
Over the course of its run, the show earned three awards, including a Best Actor award for Tony Doyle from the BPG TV & Radio Awards, an RTS Award for Best Drama series and an NTA for Most Popular Actress, which was won by Dervla Kirwan.
Who stars in Ballykissangel?
The show enjoyed a large ensemble cast over its five-year run, with Stephen Tompkinson (DCI Banks) leading the cast as new priest Fr. Peter Clifford. His love interest, Assumpta Fitzgerald, was played by Dervla Kirwan (House of Guinness).
Other stars in the series included Tina Kellegher (Normal People), Niall Toibin (Brideshead Revisited), Tony Doyle (I Went Down), Aine Ni Mhuiri (Fair City), Deirdre Donnelly (Brassic), Gary Whelan (Dracula Untold), Birdy Sweeney (Murder in Eden) and Peter Hanly (Braveheart).
© Alamy Stock PhotoRounding out the cast were Bosco Hogan (King Arthur), Peter Caffrey (Father Ted), Don Wycherley (Bachelors Walk), Lorcan Cranitch (The Crown) and Victoria Smurfit (Once Upon a Time).
However, Ballykissangel’s biggest signing was a young Colin Farrell, who played barman and handyman, Darren Byrne. The show marked his television debut, and Colin has since gone on to appear in major hits, including Daredevil, Total Recall, The Lobster and The Batman.
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