If you ignore the reductionist, sensationalist and frankly getting a bit old now headline, this is a great interview with Damien in the Irish Sun!

'BIZARRE THINGS' 

Irish star Damien Molony opens up about nerve-wracking sex scenes with Michelle Keegan in Brassic and rise to fame

IRISH actor Damien Molony is one of the busiest stars on the small screen - but he admitted that filming sex scenes is still mildly terrifying.

The Kildare native, 36, has been steadily building up screen credits in shows like Ripper Street and Being Human, as well as his recent roles on Channel 4’s GameFace, BBC’s The Split and Brassic on Sky.

And the London-based star told how he loves the variety of characters he gets to play, admitting being typecast would be an “actor’s worst nightmare.”

He said: “It’s great to play so many different types of characters. From being a boring driving instructor in GameFace to a ruthless management consultant in The Split and now a drug dealer in a gang with a heart of gold in Brassic.”

Brassic’s hilarious and realistic portrayal of a gang of smalltime criminals in Northern England has made it a huge hit with viewers, with Sky already commissioning a third series before the second even hits screens this week.

The show is co-written by This Is England actor Joe Gilgun, who also stars in it as gang leader Vinnie, while Damien as his best mate Dylan.

'GET ON AND DO IT'

The first series saw Damien share raunchy sex scenes with co-star Michelle Keegan, who plays his characters on-off girlfriend Erin, something the actor admitted was nerve-wracking.

He said: “As an actor, you run a little when you see a sex scene. But then you get on and do it.

“The funny thing was that Michelle and I had barely met when we were put in a portaloo together and we had to get on with it.

“There’s nothing sexy about a Brassic sex scene. Sex scenes in general are bizarre things anyway. Both actors realise it’s a ridiculous scenario.

“”You get nervous beforehand but there’s 35 cast members waiting for you to get on and do it so they can go for lunch. They don’t really care what you look like with your top off. It’s genuinely like any other scene.”

Damien is currently spending his time in lockdown at home in London, where he shares two small kids with his wife.

He said: “I’ve spent a lot of time away the past year because I’ve been filming so it’s nice to have an enforced reason to stay home.

“I have two small children - three and six months - so it’s nice to have time with them.

“I’ve spent it doing DIY and other jobs around the place.”

WE ALL REALLY HIT IT OFF'

But he told how he’s due to return to work later in the summer as filming for Brassic may commence in late July.

He said: “We’re meant to be filming series three at the end of July this year. At the moment they’re writing it and there’s no word on if there’ll be a change.

“Hopefully it won’t be too much longer. People in the industry are figuring out ways to get around lockdown restrictions, with the cast isolating before filming and using a smaller crew.

“We’ll wait and see if the powers-that-be allow us to do it sooner rather than later.”

Brassic’s stellar cast also features Irish actors Aaron Heffernan and Bronagh Gallagher, as well Hollywood star Dominic West.

Filmed in Manchester, the show sees Damien adopt a Northern accent that he picked up from Joe, who based the show on his own life.

Damien said: “We all really hit it off. Joe (Gilgun - co-writer and creator) took us all out for dinner before we began filming to get the bonding process started.

“So we had all had a night out before we even started. We all live in the same apartment block while we’re filming. So we’re all close. It’s a good gang.”

• All episodes of Brassic S2 will be available on Sky One and NOW TV from Thursday 7 May