EMMERDALE star Mike Parr lost out on a part in a new TV drama after tipping off his on-screen brother Anthony Quinlan about the audition – who then bagged the role.
Actors Mike, 35, and Anthony, 37, who played warring brothers Ross and Pete Barton, have remained best mates off screen since leaving the hit ITV soap.
So when Mike told Anthony he’d been to an audition for BBC drama London Kills, Anthony decided to try his luck and went for the same part.
And sadly for Mike it was Anthony who bosses signed up for the role.
Anthony said: “I’ve just done a little job down in London for the BBC and Acorn TV called London Kills.
While Mike was quick to jump in, saying: “I also auditioned for it, but didn’t get it. And yes it was for the same part. I actually told him about the audition.”
Anthony added: ”That’s the thing, we go up against each other for a few things. But I’d rather he get it than someone else.
“We always give each other a little leg up if we are audition for something. And like I say I’d rather he get it than someone else.”
Mike said: “That’s easy for you to say! you got the part.”
Mike and Anthony were speaking during a special interview with Mecca Bingo’s Live From Studio M who reunited the brothers for their first on-screen appearance together since 2018.
And although he missed out on the BBC drama, Mike recently returned from filming a series for the History Channel in Morocco.
He said: “I’ve just got back from a job in Morocco, I was out there for a few weeks, it was for a programme called Colosseum for the History Channel.
“We were out there for three weeks, it got shut down the first time because COVID got into the cast, so we all had to quarantine, and we had to fly back.
“But then I went back, and fingers crossed it goes well and it gets aired next year. I spent a lot of time in our hotels but on the final night I was able to go out and it was amazing.
And on their bond off-screen, Mike said: “I liked working with Anthony Quinlan, we just had the best time, we came into the show together, it was always great fun.
“Our characters were always at each other and we were lucky to do so much great stuff.
“Every day was put a smile on your face, I do miss those days.”
Anthony added: “We all came in together, there was this real buzz, the amount of times Mike had me in stitches on set. He’s a nightmare to work with by the way.
“He was hilarious, he was great to work with it was a laugh a minute. It was quality.”
“Our characters were always at loggerheads, always at war with each other. We got to do so much good stuff.”
Speaking about filming a motorbike stunt with Kelvin Fletcher, 37, who played Andy Sugden in the soap for 20 years, Anthony revealed how he came off the bike while travelling at 45 miles per hour, leaving him in agony.
He said: “We did a motorbike chase with Kelvin Fletcher that was fun to do, I did the stunt myself.
Although I came off the bike in rehearsals at 45 mph. I actually blew my leg right up! When I was actually doing the takes, I was driving around like Miss Daisy.
“It was a bad accident that. There was a stunt driver but the majority of stuff was us, and there was a scene where the stunt driver went off the end of a cliff at the edge of a quarry, and he did that.
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“We had some great stuff to do. All the family stuff was good.”
“We were quite lucky over the years, especially with super soap week, our family was always involved and it was all centred around us.”
During their time together in the studio in London, the pair took part in Mecca Bingo’s Catch the Cash and won a whopping £30k for three players.
Mecca man Anthony Conroy, said: “It’s the most anyone has ever caught for our players. Mike and Anthony were incredible and we had three lucky players who won £10,000 each.
“They couldn’t believe it.”
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Catch the Cash is Mecca Bingo’s most popular giveaway where celebrities take part every Friday in grabbing as much money as they can for the lucky callers.
Over the last three weeks they have already given away £67,000 in prize money with many winners in tears having received life changing amounts of money.
Anthony added: “We’ve had so many emotional callers, with many breaking down in tears.
“And they all said that same thing, that they will be using the money to help their friends and family.
“It’s been a tough year for so many people but now all of our winners will be able to look after their loved ones this Christmas.
“They are going to have a better Christmas than they could have ever imagined.”
For more information about Mecca Bingo’s Catch the Cash readers can go to www.meccabingo.com
