Give My Head Peace returns to our TV screens this holiday season with four brand new episodes of the hit BBC sitcom.
Hard to believe that the satirical show has been on television in Northern Ireland for almost 30 years. Since then, the hole-in-the-wall gang has conned politicians, current affairs and the general public.
Da (Tim McGarry), Cal, Ma (Olivia Nash), Uncle Andy (Martin Reid), Billy (Michael McDowell) and Dympna will be up to their usual comic antics this Christmas and New Year with Pastor Begbie (Paddy Jenkins) and some other special guests and new characters.
In the Christmas special’Murder in the offence’, iThings turn dark as the cost of living crisis hits Divis. Mom and Dad have a choice. You can “heat or eat” it or maybe there is a better way to just make money? One can knock the other out!
Damon Quinn, who plays Cal, is also part of the Hole in the Wall Gang writing team and produces the series.
He told The Postedia: “We are trying to reflect what is going on in society as we are all living with the cost of living crisis. This also affects Divis, so Ma and Da face the same dilemma as everyone else, whether to heat or eat?
But Cal discovers an old life insurance policy Mum and Dad took out years ago – if one of them dies, the other gets £250,000. And after witnessing several failed assassination attempts by Mum and Dad, Cal has had enough.
“He has a better idea and suggests why doesn’t Dad just fake his own death? Damon laughed.
All Dad has to do is ride his pedalo on Belfast Lough and be “missed”. If the empty boat is found, Da is presumed dead.
He can hide until the insurance money is paid. Then they can all flee abroad with the booty. He thinks it’s a brilliant plan. What could go wrong?
Elsewhere, Uncle Andy’s worst nightmare comes true. No, it’s not a united Ireland, it’s worse. His benefits are cut and he is forced to take a job as a guard at Larne Harbour.
Ulster’s biggest Brexit supporter must now implement the Northern Ireland Protocol. He went to Larne alone to protest. How can he piss himself?
Andy tries to drown his sorrows at the Loyalist Kneebreakers Club, only to find they are out of booze. Protocol stopped shipments of cheap alcohol from England.
Fortunately Reverend Begbie has a plan. Andy’s new job as a security guard at Larne’s could help with her alcohol supply problem. He can help smuggle a secret shipment of alcohol through customs from England.
No need to fill out all those complicated log papers. With Andy at the security checkpoint, all he has to do is wave through the right van. What could go wrong?
Meanwhile, Alexandra (Ali) Ford, who plays Dympna, says her character in her Sinn Féin MLA role may not be as busy as usual, but she is now considering motherhood.
“Dympna doesn’t spend much time at Stormont these days and now she’s facing a pay cut, so she’s going to fight,” said Ali.
“It means she makes her husband, Billy, work hard, but now she’s decided she needs to fill her time, so she’s thinking about giving motherhood a shot.
“She wants a baby and it comes as instructions from her party leader Mary-Lou (McDonald) with the upcoming referendum that they must now increase their numbers. So it is up to all female MPs to do their duty to God and Ireland.”
Ali added: “To my surprise, she actually seems really excited about the idea of motherhood, but obviously things don’t go to plan. There’s a bit of a twist to the story, so she has to resort to some sneaky tactics around her hair. get off
“Billy also tightens up as his rather dark past is exposed and Reverend Begbie is hot on his heels, so Dympna is a bit worried about her hubby.”
The Give My Head Peace Christmas Special – Murder Most Foul airs on Monday 26 December at 10.50pm on BBC One NI and BBC iPlayer.
The series is a hole-in-the-wall gang production for BBC Northern Ireland. The remaining three episodes of the new series will be available on BBC iPlayer immediately after the Christmas special airs.
For the latest news, visit The Postedia homepage here. To subscribe to our FREE newsletter, see here.
Source: Bel Fast Live
