Actor Brian Doherty balances a villainous role in RTÉ’s Fair City with a comedic detective turn in Stuart Carolan’s new series Tall Tales & Murder, showcasing contrasting characters across simultaneous television projects.
Stepping Away from Carrigstown Chaos
Audiences accustomed to Doherty’s scheming character JJ in Fair City will encounter a different performance style in the darkly comic series created by Love/Hate creator Stuart Carolan. Doherty told RTÉ Entertainment that variety drives his career choices. “That’s what you want as an actor – you don’t want to be playing the same thing over and over again,” Doherty said. In Tall Tales & Murder, he portrays Bunny, a GAA-obsessed detective attempting to act as a guardian angel for a runaway car thief named Paul, played by Casey Walsh. While JJ relies on dark manipulation, Doherty described Bunny as defined by his “ability to cope, however ham-fisted it can be at times!”
Did you know? Brian Doherty and co-star Aisling O’Sullivan first worked together 35 years ago playing romantic partners in a Dublin Abbey Theatre play called The Murphy Initiative.
Reuniting on Set After Decades
The new series pairs Doherty with Aisling O’Sullivan for their fourth romantic pairing on stage and screen, following previous collaborations in RAW and Tom Murphy’s play The Wake at the Abbey. O’Sullivan plays The Matron, Bridget’s icy retirement home boss who interacts with Doherty’s character. According to Doherty, the scripts immediately stood out during the audition reading phase, where he and Aisling O’Sullivan read together. Ella Lily Hyland plays retirement home nurse Bridget. The ensemble cast also features Aidan Gillen as a previously comatose Dublin criminal named Grinner. The series blends guns, gold, and gags across fast-moving plot strands.
Production and Broadcast Details
Tall Tales & Murder premieres on RTÉ One and RTÉ Player on Sunday, 27 September at 9:40pm, with all episodes dropping simultaneously on the player. Direction comes from Chris Addison, known for his work on The Thick of It and Veep. Meanwhile, Doherty continues his role on Fair City alongside Aisling O’Neill, who plays Carol. Doherty noted that despite Carol’s ongoing hesitation about JJ’s true motives, genuine care sustains their dynamic.
Frequently Asked Questions
When does Tall Tales & Murder premiere?
The series begins on RTÉ One and RTÉ Player on Sunday, 27 September at 9:40pm.
Where can I watch all episodes at once?
All episodes become available on the RTÉ Player starting 27 September.
Who created the series?
Stuart Carolan, creator of Love/Hate, wrote the darkly comic series.
What is Brian Doherty’s role?
Doherty plays Bunny, a GAA-obsessed detective, while simultaneously appearing as JJ in Fair City.
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