By Eileen Murphy
Now, we know you’re thinking that we’ll use any, but any, opportunity to put a Ballykissangel photo on this page. And, of course, you’d be right. But those of us who are devoted to the wildly popular BBC show “Ballykissangel” will feel as though all our Christmases have come at once — tonight.
No, Steve Tompkinson (aka the handsome Fr. Peter) won’t be calling over to our house (darn!). But WLIW Channel 21, which broadcasts the show in the tri-state area, will give viewers an opportunity to pick up some cool Ballyk merchandise as part of a fund-raising drive built around tonight’s show.
Viewers who pledge money to the station tonight will receive, as part of the station’s BallyK “Christmas in August” promotion, gifts ranging from an oversize T-shirt (an artist’s rendering of Ballykissangel) to a companion book, a book on tape and a CD featuring music from the series.
The album features catchy little ditties such as the opening theme and songs with titles like “Dogs and Poker,” “Peter’s Parish,” “Tripe Casserole” and “The Yellow Bus Crusade.” Truly, this is a must-have for any BallyK fan with a CD player.
Tonight’s episode, for those of you who are keeping track, is titled “Happy as a Turkey on Boxing Day.” We won’t spoil it for you, but we can say it’s one of our favorites.
Never miss an issue of The Irish Echo
Subscribe to one of our great value packages.
One reminder to those who’ll be taping BallyK and “EastEnders,” which follows directly afterward. Since the station will be fund-raising during the show, make sure to allow for the extra time when you’re setting the VCR. or else, you’ll find yourself cut off just as Assumpta turns to Peter and says . . . whoops! Almost gave it away!
B*Witched: bothered and bewildered
One could be forgiven for thinking there’s absolutely no justice in the world after reading this next piece. But there is goodness in mankind. Really. And every cloud has a silver-tone lining. And even the worst haircut will grow out. And so on.
Confused? Well, you’re no more confused than the poor dears from the Irish girl group B*Witched. Ireland’s answer to the Spice Girls has just found out that they won’t be opening for prenatal heartthrobs Hanson at the group’s upcoming Wembley Stadium show.
It seems that the band management and promoters screwed up bigtime. The precocious Hanson brothers had requested that live band to open the show for them. Someone booked B*Witched — who seem live enough to us — but apparently, they’re not the right kind of live. The girls were dropped, another band hired, and sources say there are no hard feelings. Yeah, shhhuuure. We’re betting that Hanson didn’t want anyone onstage who’s almost prettier than they are.
BabyZone
Just in case you were wondering how married life is treating BoyZone star Ronan Keating, you’ll be relieved to know that he and the model wife, Yvonne, are happy as larks and expecting their first child. No need to start shopping for the shower yet — the baby’s due next March.
And that’s the cruel reason . . .
British film star Jeremy Irons, whose controversial movie, “Lolita,” is causing heart failure among critics and film censors everywhere, spends his off-time in Skibbereen, Co. Cork. And judging by what we’ve read in the Irish gossip columns, it’s having an odd effect on him, to say the least.
Irons was at the launch of Skibbereen Welcome Home Week recently, where he told a puzzled assembly that he was not — absolutely not — a film star. “I’m much happier leaning over the bar, having a conversation with people I can trust,” he said earnestly.
However, Irons went on to say that “there’s nothing more frightening than talking to people and you don’t know who they are, especially in a place like Skibbereen. There are an awful lot of toes you could tread on in Skibbereen.” Well, yes, Jeremy — assuming each person has about a dozen, the numbers soon mount up.
Irons is also mindful of English history in Ireland. “My country has done appalling things to your country over the past 700 years,” he declared. “One of which was to knock the top off Kilcoe Castle.”
Now, Jeremy must be a little biased there — after all, he owns Kilcoe Castle. So that makes it sort of a own goal, n’est-ce pas?