Father Ted cast now from creator's arrest to Shameless fame and tragic deaths

TV writer Graham Linehan was this week arrested and questioned by police over "joke" tweets he made about trans people.

The five-time Bafta award winner was taken to a police station after being arrested at Heathrow Airport. The Met Policeconfirmed the 57-year-old, who had flown in from Arizona, was detained on suspicion of inciting violence at around 1pm on Monday "in relation to posts on X".

"In a country where paedophiles escape sentencing, where knife crime is out of control, where women are assaulted and harassed every time they gather to speak, the state had mobilised five armed officers to arrest a comedy writer for this tweet (and no, I promise you, I am not making this up)," said Graham in an email to his Substack subscribers.

READ MORE: Father Ted creator Graham Linehan arrested after flying into Heathrow over 'joke' tweets

The writer will soon stand trial for alleged criminal damage and harassment without violence offences against a transgender woman. Graham created hit TV shows The IT Crowd, Motherland and Black Books but is perhaps best known for Father Ted, which ran for just three series back in the 1990s and is still considered one of the best sitcoms of all time.

We take a look at what happened to its stars...

Father Ted Crilly - Dermot Morgan

The show's main character was a Roman Catholic priest who had been exiled to Craggy Island, played by comedian and actor Dermot, who first found fame on Irish TV show RTE. Sadly, the star died of a heart attack aged just 45 in February 1998, a day after wrapping up filming on the third, final series of Father Ted.

"He wasn't feeling great at the end of a meal and I went to the bedroom with him," said Dermot's sister Denise, sharing the heartbreaking story of what happened at the actor's home in Hounslow, West London. "He had a heart attack and I didn't recognise it. From my limited training in first aid, I wasn't sure exactly what was happening.

"The symptoms didn't match what the books said. I said to him 'I think you are okay' and we went back to the table. He apologised for having left the room and the next thing he just collapsed."

Dermot was once married to Susanne Garmatz, with two sons and later had a third son with partner Fiona Clarke.

Father Dougal McGuire - Ardal O'Hanlon

Voted fifth on Channel 4's list of 100 Greatest TV Characters, Father Dougal was daft as a brush, much to the frustration of the far more switched on Father Ted. He once famously forgot he was a priest and could never get his head around why things look smaller at a distance.

Actor Ardal continued to work as a TV actor after the end of Father Ted, starring in shows including My Hero, Derry Girls, Skins, London Irish and After Hours. One of his biggest roles after the iconic series was in BBC comedy-drama Death in Paradise, playing detective DI Jack Mooney.

Now 59, Ardal is married to his teenage sweetheart Melanie, with two daughters and a son together.

Father Jack Hackett - Frank Kelly

Father Jack was loud, foul-mouthed and alcoholic, with viewers going mad for the absolute havoc he caused on Craggy Island.

Actor Frank went onto star in Aristocrats, Glenroe, Running Mate, Paddywhackery and Mrs Browns' Boys D'Movie. He also played Declan Macey's dad Dermot in Emmerdale.

The veteran stage and screen actor died of a heart attack in February 2016 at the age of 77, exactly 18 years from the death of his co-star Dermot. Frank was survived by his wife of 51 years Bairbre, seven children and 17 grandchildren.

Paying tribute, Ardal O'Hanlon said: "Frank was an all-round talent, an institution in Irish entertainment, a very determined professional and he'll be greatly missed by all who knew him."

Pauline McLynn - Mrs Doyle

"Ah, go on, go on, go on, go on!" was the famous line uttered by the Craggy Island housekeeper if anyone declined her offer of a nice cup of tea. Mrs Doyle was a true eccentric, with a cheerful disposition and unwavering commitment to her duties.

Actress Pauline was just 33 when she took on the role and went onto appear in Shameless, Jam and Jerusalem, EastEnders and Doctor Who. 

Now 63, she is married to theatrical agent Richard Cook.