For further information:

Sharon McHugh
TV3 PRESS OFFICE
+3531 419 3430 / 087 922 4143
sharon.mchugh@tv3.ie
publicity@tv3.ie

Ciara Byrne
+353 1 419 3329 / 087 3199732
ciara.byrne@tv3.ie

TV3 GROUP RELEASE : Sunday 17th November 2013

 

TV3 airs Exclusive candid interview with comedian Brendan Grace.

 

Brendan Grace and his wife Eileen speak openly to Nora Owen about everything from his upbringing, his first job and his ongoing battle with diabetes, in an Exclusive interview with TV3.

 

The much-loved comedian reveals how the former Taoiseach Charlie Haughey bought his family their first house.

 

He recounts tales of meeting icons Frank Sinatra, Sammy Davis Junior, Micheál MacLiammóir and Liza Minnelli.

 

‘Brendan Grace: The Interview’ airs Wednesday 20th November at 9pm on TV3.     

                         

Video link to view the full special is available on request.

 

In an exclusive one hour special with TV3’s Nora Owen, Brendan Grace speaks openly and frankly about his illustrious career which has spanned over 40 years. Joined by his wife, Eileen, Brendan reveals all about his remarkable and varied career, from his days in Ireland’s showbands to his sell out shows across the world. The couple tell us about life with their family in Florida and his on-going battle with diabetes. We show you a different side to Brendan as he and Eileen reveal who the real Brendan is. Full of laughter yet poignant, this one hour special will tell you all you need to know about Brendan Grace – comedian, husband, father and grandfather.

 

Brendan begins at the very start talking about his schooldays and how he went to St. Brigid’s Primary School. Nora asked how long he stayed in primary school and Brendan quickly replied:

 

“How long was I allowed stay in school? I was thrown – I left, I think I was 13, 13 and a half. I got my primary cert and then when I went into the secondary school on James’ Street, the brothers, I actually got into the scholarship class prior to that. So there must have been a touch of the scholar in me but I watched the scholars coming home and I went and did my own thing.”

 

Throughout the course of Brendan’s career, he had many interesting encounters with many interesting characters, the former Taoiseach Charlie Haughey being one of them. Brendan recalled how he met the infamous politician after he was struck by an army ambulance while riding his motorbike.

 

“I ended up taking an action against, and I’m so sorry I haven’t got the letter, but against Charlie Haughey. Charlie Haughey at the time, I think, was the Minister for Finance. Later in life, he and I became good friends.”

 

“I did [win the case] and it was out of that particular accident that I was able to buy a house for my mam and dad, and myself and my sister.”

 

Nora explains that Brendan’s family was living in a corporation residence and he was able to buy their first house with the settlement but Brendan quickly retorted:

 

“It was actually Charlie that bought it for them so they can put that in the paper if they want!”

 

Brendan began rubbing shoulders with the stars long before he was in the entertainment business. Even as a messenger boy, he seemed to have brushes with the famous faces of the time. Brendan explained how he met actor Micheál MacLiammóir when delivering a book to his house.

 

“I wasn’t anything to do with the arts at the time. I had nothing to do with entertainment and here I am knocking on this door and out came this absolute [vision], I can only describe it as because I wasn’t really aware of what he did, I just knew he was a great person, and this wonderful big man answered the door and he was in this smoking jacket, first time I ever saw a smoking jacket.”

 

“He signed for the book and he gave me two schillings. It would have been an awful lot of money and he gave me the money and I still, until years after, didn’t realise who I was with but he was very courteous and very graceful.”

 

While Brendan was no stranger to meeting the stars, he recalled one story where being in the right place at the right time led to meeting true icons, Frank Sinatra, Sammy Davis Junior and Liza Minnelli. Concert promoter Oliver Barry bumped into Brendan by chance and asked him to entertain the stars and their entourage in a private gig. He described how he was told he couldn’t use the majority of his material but decided to take a chance.

 

“I’ll always remember thinking, hold on I’m on my own turf and they told me I can’t do the father of the bride and the drunk act and I’m looking at these two guys, the three of them actually, smoking like feens and drinking and I said why shouldn’t I do this? And I did it, I did the drunk act and during the drunk act I referred to Frank Sinatra. I looked at him and I just said I’ll take a chance but I could be knee-capped by the mafia.”

 

“I looked at him and I says ‘You’re not Perry Como!’ – That’s all I said and the place, there was a silence for a second, and when they saw his reaction, they erupted. I got a standing ovation, I’ll always remember.”

 

Despite his high-flying lifestyle, Brendan has suffered with diabetes over the years and no one understands his plague more than his wife Eileen. She explained how difficult it is for her husband and what he is really like when the curtains draw.

 

“I would have preferred had it have been me. I’d be more disciplined and I’d have a more routine lifestyle. Where for Brendan, I feel sorry for him on the go, you know on the road, rushing and what have you, eating all the wrong stuff.”

 

“He’s quiet. He’s serious. He’s not the funny guy that everyone thinks he is. He’s good humoured. He loves to listen to the radio when he’s doing his work, he actually loves radio. He listens to it a lot more than he would TV.”

 

Eileen said that although he is quiet off stage it does not take long for him to switch into character.

 

“As soon as the car starts up and we have all his gear in, we start on the road and arrive at the gig, then all of a sudden I see it. This other person starts to evolve when everything is inside and then, different person. [He] goes inside to the dressing room, the lights go on, the suit comes out of the bag and the polished shoes. He is immaculate when it comes to the way everything has to be hung. If I put his jacket on the hanger in the wrong direction, that’s wrong. No, that’s not the right way. So everything has its place and should be in its place.”

 

“The minute the suit goes on, then that’s the entertainer and he’s ready. You see him doing his breathing and if I said to him ‘Brendan love, I’m having a heart attack!’ – he wouldn’t hear me.”

 

‘Brendan Grace: The Interview’ airs Wednesday 20th November at 9pm on TV3.   

                           

Images have been sent to your picture desks

 

ENDS

 

For further information
Ciara Byrne

Press Officer

01 419 3329

087 319 9732

 

Sharon McHugh
Head of Press & Publicity

087 922 4143

publicity@tv3.ie                        
www.tv3.ie

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NOTES TO EDITOR:

 

Brendan Grace

 

Brendan Grace has enjoyed 40 years as professional entertainer, during which time he has been in multiple TV and theatre productions. Brendan has represented Ireland via Tourism Ireland in various presentations around the world. He has performed for the Irish Unifil peace-keeping troops in Lebanon at the request of the

Minister for Defence and was appointed by the Minister for Justice to the position of Peace Commissioner on the recommendation of the Taoiseach,

Charles J. Haughey.

 

Although he started out as a band member, he has spent the majority of his career as a solo performer, entertaining and singing. Brendan has performed alongside Frank Sinatra, Sammy Davis Junior, John Denver, and many others.

 

His numerous TV and films appearances, as both an entertainer and an actor, include the movie Moondance and his role as Fr. Fintan Stack also in Father Ted. Many of his stage performances have been filmed for screening on TV and Brendan has been interviewed on all the major chat shows including The Late Late Show.