RTÉ2
Jennifer Zamparelli and Bernard O’Shea launch new RTÉ2 sitcom
At a press conference in RTÉ today (Thursday 28 January), Jennifer Zamparelli and Bernard O’Shea launched their 80s-tastic new RTÉ2 sitcom Bridget & Eamon. The six-part series stars the two in roles made massively popular in sketches on Republic of Telly and online with millions of views.
Bridget & Eamon are an unhappily married 1980s Irish couple. They live somewhere in the Midlands with their indeterminate number of children. Chain-smoking Bridget has notions. She wants the lifestyle from the pages of Woman’s Way but wouldn’t want to think about how much it would cost to heat South Fork.
Six-part series Bridget & Eamon is written by Bernard O’Shea, Jennifer Zamparelli and Jason Butler. The cast features Irish comedy and acting talent including Norma Sheahan, Eleanor Tiernan and Sharon Mannion as Bridget’s neighbours, Colum McDonnell as Eamon’s mate Fierce Handy Frank and Edwin Sammon as the local parish priest. Guest stars include Mary McEvoy, Linda Martin, John Colleary, Pat McDonnell, John Lynn, Karl Spain, Keith Walsh and Alison Spittle.
Jennifer Zamparelli said: ‘We’re really proud of this series. So many people have told us how much they love the characters and how much Bridget reminds them of their mammy or their mad neighbour. I hope people enjoy watching this as much as we enjoyed making it.’
Bill Malone, Channel Controller RTÉ2: ‘Like with the hugely popular Damo & Ivor, it’s great that characters which started life as a sketch on Republic of Telly now have their own series. It is a big investment to produce a new Irish sitcom, but developing, nurturing and supporting new and emerging Irish talent is an important part of what we do on RTÉ2.’
Eamon said: ‘Anybody who played tennis with a shovel in their back garden should watch this.’
Bridget & Eamon starts on RTÉ2 on Monday 1 February at 10pm.
Jennifer Zamparelli and Bernard O’Shea present Breakfast Republic, along with Keith Walsh, every weekday from 6-10am on RTÉ 2fm.
Here’s a taster from the series: https://youtu.be/GVgyktKEEdk
Press queries: Anne-Louise Foley, Senior Publicist, RTÉ TV Press & Publicity, foleya@rte.ie, 085 1288911
Note to editors: Photographs from today have been sent to picture desks.