..I NEARLY QUIT; Fair City's Tony so fed up of his storylines Veteran on how soap won back its viewers.

Byline: BY MAEVE QUIGLEY

FAIR City's Tony Tormey has revealed he almost quit the hit soap a year ago when he felt it had fallen flat.

The actor's character Paul Brennan is one of the mainstays of Carrigstown and has grown up in the soap since it started in 1989.

But Tony said he only stayed with Fair City after new producer Brigie De Courcy came in to give it a revamp.

He added: "To be honest with you, I was ready to leave. I had no decent storylines for a while apart from the one where Paul and Fiona were having the affair.

"Other than that my main lines seemed to be, 'Do you fancy a pint, Barry?' or 'Will we go to McCoy's or the Bistro?' I think the show had lost its way a bit.

"But when Brigie came in she gave Fair City a good shake up and it got the kick up the arse it needed.

"She has breathed new life into the soap and the cast, and the viewing figures have gone rocketing up."

Since Brigie's arrival Paul has had a heart attack and got back together with his ex Niamh.

And now he is heading for Christmas chaos as he and his sweetheart walk up the aisle alongside Gina and Ray in what promises to be a festive bust-up.

Tony said: "We're just finished filming Christmas and it's going to be really dramatic.

"But I would get killed if I told you what happened so you'll have to wait and see. It's been a great year for me and I have loved every minute of it - I've had so much more to get my teeth into.

"Paul's had a very eventful year altogether."

And Tony added he was really shocked when he found out his character would be getting back together with Niamh, played by Clelia Murphy.

Tony said: "When I found out about Paul and Niamh it was a big surprise.

"It hadn't even come into my head when I was told about it and really thought he had been there and done that and the two of them wouldn't go back down that road.

"But it has worked out really well - since Paul and Niamh split up I hardly got the chance to work with Clelia at all.

"And now they are back together I get to see her a lot more often and we have a real chemistry on set which makes working uncomplicated."

Right now Paul is in hot water with Niamh after admitting his late wife Helen was the love of his life, just weeks before his wedding.

And although he's relishing the chance to work harder, Tony says it can mean family time is reduced during big story lines.

He added: "Filming the Christmas scenes I was on set at 7.15am and I wasn't getting in until 10pm, 11pm and 12 at night."

Tony is lucky that he's married to someone who understands the ups and downs of an acting career as his wife Kate is a producer for theatre. And kids Max, five and two-year-old Izzy aren't bothered by the fact their dad has another family in Carrigstown.

Tony said: "They're more interested in what Santa is going to bring them."

I was ready to leave, I had no real decent storylines for a while

CAPTION(S):

FESTIVE FIASCO Paul, played by Tom Tormey, and Clelia Murphy as Niamh; I'M STILL HAIR Tony Tormey now and then