TIERS OF JOY
As Shieldinch prepares for two celebrations, actor Darren Brownlie is overjoyed that he will play a major part in same-sex nuptials on mainstream TV after years of never seeing it
SOAP weddings always pack an emotional punch and none more so than River City’s muchanticipated double whammy next week. Viewers have been eagerly waiting to see Mikey share his big day with mum Bernie and dad Mulvaney, who have found love after four decades apart.
Darren Brownlie, 39, who plays Shieldinch favourite Mikey Duffy, admits the double wedding is one of his favourite ever River City scenes.
The actor said: “I grew up watching the soaps and lived for all the big weddings so to be part of the wedding of the year in River City was magical.
“It’s not often you play a character who is tying the knot with the man of his dreams on the same day his mum and dad are saying, ‘I do’, after being separated for 40 years.
“When Mikey came to Shieldinch, he had no idea who his biological parents were, so to find them and for them to rekindle their love and share his wedding day is brilliant – only in soapland.”
Darren, who starred in The James Gang with James Nesbitt, Helen McCrory and John Hannah, added: “Apart from Mikey’s dad going missing on the morning of the wedding, the drama in the episode isn’t around the people getting married.
“For once, there are no explosions, deaths or runaway brides or grooms.
“Yes, there are romantic sparks between unlikely couple Amber and Angus, and Gillian and Ash’s relationship reaches crisis point but it’s nice to be part of a happy wedding that goes without a hitch for the couples.
“Although, it’s a soap, it’s important for folk to see that love and happiness does exist in the real world.”
Darren, whose character thinks he has found his soulmate in new husband Jonathon Whitlock – played by Edward M Corrie – says having a single-sex marriage on screen means a lot to him.
The panto star, who studied at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, said: “For me seeing single-sex marriage represented on mainstream TV is so important. When I was a wee boy that just didn’t happen. Dale Winton was the only openly gay person on the telly.
“What I wouldn’t have given to see a gay wedding when I was a kid – to know finding love with someone of the same sex was not just possible but normal.”
The Scots Squad actor added: “I don’t
have time for a partner but if I ever get married, I want a big castle wedding that lasts all weekend. I need to find a man who is willing to pay for all that. I have the ideas, he will just have to bring the purse.”
Darren, from Paisley, says it was a dream come true when he got the part in River City and says he was blown away when he discovered Scots acting legend Barbara Rafferty would play his mum.
He said: “When I found out I’d got the role on the show I was like OMG, I will be working with the legend who is Rab C Nesbitt’s Ella Cotter - and then to discover I was going to play her long lost son. I was over the moon.
“I had worked with Barbara many times in theatre, so it wasn’t hard to make the relationship work well on screen because I love her so much in real life.”
Darren, who is directing this year’s summer panto Mumbelina at Glasgow’s Oran Mor, added: “I’d also performed with Laurie Ventry, who plays my dad, so it was as if all the stars had aligned and the writers had picked the perfect parents for my character.”
He added: “I want to stay in River City for as long as they will have me. I just love it. I’m very defensive about it as it’s a soap that belongs to Scotland – a country packed full of brilliant storytellers.”
Darren is gearing up for Glasgow Kiltwalk this weekend to raise money for the Beatson.
He said: “Within months of retiring, my mum was diagnosed with stage three breast cancer and had to undergo radio and chemotherapy at the Beatson. Then my dad got pains in his stomach and they discovered a tumour in his colon. “He too, was treated at the Beatson. They’ve both been given the all clear and I am doing the Kiltwalk as a thank you to the wonderful staff.”
● Watch the River City double wedding on May 1, BBC Scotland, 10pm, and at 7pm on BBC1 Scotland on May 2.
Although it’s a soap, it’s important that love and to see happiness exists DARREN ON MIKEY’S BIG DAY ON RIVER CITY