The young offenders christmas Special
11.15pm BBC one & 10.35pm rté one, christmas Day
Michael Doherty catches up with Young Offenders stars Alex Murphy and Chris Walley to discuss the Christmas special of their hit show
the plot of the Young Offenders christmas special has been a more closely guarded secret than Doctor Who; indeed the one photo released involves hospital beds, bedpans and bruises. Discuss!
alex: Haha! I think that image was put out to boggle people’s minds and open up a lot of questions. It certainly does that, but I can’t help you understand what that might be. I can say it’s a stand-alone Christmas special set in the present day. Conor’s mam is in hospital and, for whatever reason, Jock thinks it’s a good idea to pick up a bedpan and defend himself! chris: I can’t say much more! Hilary’s character is in hospital and the situation is going on and Jock’s source of defence is a bed-pan, because what else would he pick?
you shot the special in cork in october; that was a pretty sunny time for a show set at christmas...
alex: I know. And I feel like I’ve had my Christmas already. We shot it in nine or ten days and it was sunny, but the shots look beautiful and crisp, the way Cork always looks. I mean, it never rains there! chris: It was sunny but it was very cold and some mornings it was freezing in the shade. You can restassured that any shivering you see on screen is not acting: it’s for real!
the big name in this film is robert Sheehan. how was he to work with?
alex: To hear that Robert Sheehan had come on board was delightful. I’ve grown up watching him in Love/hate and Misfits, so to have scenes with somebody of his calibre is very special. I also have a special scene with my dad. He had a little part in season one and now he has one line in the Christmas special! chris: I also grew up watching Rob in Love/hate. It’s always lovely when another actor comes on board and changes the dynamic. Rob is such a friendly, warm character and a fantastic actor so it was lovely to have him on board. He’s become a good friend.
Finally, what would the guys give each other for christmas?
alex: Jock doesn’t have a lot of memorabilia so maybe a framed photograph of himself and Conor would be naff but nice to give him. Or maybe just a pair of jocks! In terms of a present from Jock, Conor would love an electric scooter: all the better to outpace the Guards! chris: Jock would give Conor bruises for Christmas: loving bruises! And he would want what every kid wants: the card full of cold, hard cash.