Mrs Brown’s Boys creator Brendan O’Carroll has admitted that former co-star Gary Hollywood was “family” and is missed on the show.
The Agnes Brown star also opted to hint at welcoming a return to the show for estranged star Rory Cowan.
Talking about Gary’s departure the comedian who plays the Brown family matriarch admitted he is missed after working together for over 20 years.
Brendan said: “He was a great actor and we miss him.
“He used to call me father. He was part of the family and we haven’t spoken since and haven’t heard a word from him since.
Gary joined Mrs Brown’s Boys in 2004 playing Dino Doyle in the stage production and subsequently on the TV series from 2011.
(Image: Getty Images)
The comedy programme – which is filmed in Glasgow – swiftly became a fan favourite bagging an impressive five BAFTAs and becoming a regular Christmas special series.
However, Gary quit the show in 2020 after a row over wages claiming he was paid less than his co-stars.
The scottish star then started legal action in 2021 claiming discrimination and unfair dismissal against Brendan, the BBC and TV production company Hungry Bear Media Limited.
(Image: BBC Studios/Alan Peebles)
But, by June he withdrew all his claims during a preliminary hearing.
Brendan continued: “I think that is it. It was the most bizarre time. I don’t know where it came from. It came out of the blue.
“I got a call from the office to say Gary has been on to the office and wants his flight home to Spain changed to tomorrow.
“I was like ‘But we haven’t been to Glasgow [where the chat show was being filmed] yet? We are meant to be isolating. We haven’t started yet’.
“He said if he’s not going to be in both episodes he’s not going to do it. And then he was gone.”
(Image: BBC/BBC Studios/Alan Peebles)
Brendan then addressed the claims around his alleged pay gap. He said: “He came back in the press saying he didn’t get paid as much as everyone else. He did.
“In fact he got more than some because he’d been with us longer. He was saying stuff to us about why he was leaving that didn’t exist.”
Brendan did however offer a more welcoming stance for Rory Cowan who quit Mrs Brown’s Boys due to his mother’s failing health.
At the time Rory said: “We were in Australia and my mother was dying. Now, she was dying for four years, God love her.
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“I was told she had days to live and I couldn’t come home and I thought, ‘What the hell am I doing here?’
“Also, I got very bored with it as we were doing the same venues in the same order every other year.”
Brendan said: “His mother’s passing really took it out of him.
“She had Alzheimer’s as well as cancer. He was trying to deal and cope with that. She’s passed away and he’s now recovering so see what happens. Never say never.”
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Source: Celebrities - dailystar.co.uk
