Bryan Murray is stepping away from his role on Fair City after two decades portraying Bob Charles on the RTÉ series, following his Alzheimer’s diagnosis, reports RTE.
The 75-year-old actor, who is also known for appearances in RTÉ’s Strumpet City, Channel 4’s Brookside, and the joint RTÉ/Channel 4 show The Irish R.M., made his debut on Fair City in 2005.
Originally from Dublin, Murray received his Alzheimer’s diagnosis in 2019 but continued acting on the soap, reports RTE.
He chose to go public with his diagnosis in 2022, aiming to bring more attention to the condition and to support others going through similar experiences.
His final scenes on the long-running series will air on Thursday, 24 April.
Speaking on RTÉ Radio 1’s Morning Ireland, Fair City’s Executive Producer Brigie de Courcy said: “We are all very sad about this. Bryan has been an absolutely wonderful part of the team for the last 20 years, an integral part of the story and an absolute consummate professional. He is the very sort of person, when you have a young actor coming in you say to them, ‘Go down and watch Bryan and watch what he does, how he occupies the space and how he occupies the screen’,” reports RTE.
De Courcy went on to describe the methods that allowed Murray to keep working after his diagnosis. She explained: “Initially we put all of his scripts onto a clip board so he could read his scene and it was very efficient. We ended up with a situation where he had a Bluetooth ear loop and we had a dialogue guide who would actually listen to him in rehearsal and pick up his intonations and his rhythms and then he would repeat it back to him on the floor and then Bryan would then say the line. His courage to go and do that, when he didn’t quite know what he was going to do or say, was quite exemplary, quite extraordinary,” reports RTE.
She continued: “It was a wonderful opportunity for the crew and the cast to see this that they can continue working even when they have something challenging going on for them.”
In a statement, Fair City said: “Bryan took on the role of Charles, a man whose complex relationships and gripping storylines captured the attention of viewers across the country. Over the years, his portrayal of Bob has been a cornerstone of the show, delivering unforgettable moments”, reports RTE.
Throughout his time on Fair City, Bob was the manager of McCoy’s Pub before later running the café, The Hungry Pig. The character played a central role in the community and was frequently involved in charitable efforts.
Producers of the series noted, “Bob Charles’ dynamic evolution – from family man to navigating intense emotional challenges – showcased Mr Murray’s exceptional range as an actor.
“One of his most memorable storylines on the show was when he ended up homeless, sleeping rough on the streets of Carrigstown and was ostracised from the community,” reports RTE.
Murray met his partner Una Crawford O’Brien, both on-screen and in real life, while working on Fair City. Their characters were involved in an affair which later led to marriage on the show.
In an interview on The Ray D’Arcy Show on RTÉ Radio 1 this week, Crawford O’Brien revealed that Murray “can no longer be on his own for any length of time”, reports RTE.
She said that taking on the role of his caregiver was “a very gradual thing” and acknowledged, “in the six years I knew what was down the road”.
She added: “Being a carer changes your relationship. Looking after someone who has Alzheimers you realise this is not who we were, who we were together. And I think that is the saddest part of it. I don’t mind looking after him – sometimes it can be frustrating, sometimes it can be annoying, sometimes it’s funny, but I think it is the sadness when you realise that your life has changed because of being a carer. When we got together, he made me laugh so much, I fell off a chair! He brought laughter back into my life,” reports RTE.
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