I'm Gary Whelan and I play Brendan Kearney and I'm nothing like the character I play. Brendan is lonely, drunken, confused and neglected and I'm not like that at all. He's a bachelor at the stage in his life when he has no one to marry. He has a child that was the result of a one night stand and doesn't have any relationship with the woman who had the child.

Brendan has a confusing state of mind because he plays 'the father' very well as he is very loving but he doesn't fulfil any of the functions. If he was married to Deirdre his whole life would be completely set up but Deirdre is not his lover, she's his friend and that's where the confusion comes in.

What has been your favourite episode?

Episode seven this year when Brendan becomes headmaster was one of the best episodes for me.

What is the most enjoyable thing about the show?

It's the fact that it takes six months of the year and after that, any money you make is gravy!

What has been the most difficult episode?

Nothing is ever difficult, well not after 30 years of acting. It just slides off a spoon like cream.

Have there ever been any practical jokes on set?

There are continuous jokes on the set. Joe Savino is the main joker and Tony Doyle has his moments too so it would impossible to say which is the best.

What would you like to see your character do next?

I'd like my character to go through a longer story line perhaps covering two or three of the main episodes.

I'd like them to culminate in some kind of conclusion that would make him as happy as he really deserves to be. But I can't see that happening as his whole makeup, the way he is, will never give right to him having a proper relationship. He is too selfish with his fishing, his crosswords, his drinking, his newspapers, his books. He's set in his way's. He's an old dog now.

Tony Doyle

Music from BallyK