THE Irish publican who pulled pints for Chris Evans on Channel 4’s TFI Friday has backed calls to bring back the hit show for a 20th anniversary special.
Andrew Carey from Kildare served everyone from Paul McCartney to Oasis through five seasons (1996 to 2000) of the show and this week Chris Evans revealed that bosses in Channel Four contacted him about the revival.
Speaking to Zoe Ball on BBC Radio 2, Evans said: “Channel 4 have asked us to do a TFI Friday 20th anniversary show and/or run next year.
"I was completely bang up for it until I did the maths and had to phone them and say it’s only 19 years next year, it’s actually 20 years the year after. I think they still want to go for it and just hope no one notices.”
Speaking from his home in Camden, Mr Carey, who actually appeared in more shows than Evans said: “I think it’s a great idea. I’d love to do it if I was asked back and they were re-enacting the old show but with inflation you’d be looking for a few extra noughts to your fee,” he laughed.
Evans dreamed up the show when he moved from Manchester to London and would sketch scenes while drinking in Mr Carey’s Hampstead bar, before the Kildare man was invited to become part of the show.
Over five series the Evans and Danny Baker inspired production built a cult following attracting some of the biggest names in celebrity.
“There would be an awful lot of good will for the show from a generation of celebrities,” said Andrew the barman. “From Bono to the Gallaghers and so on, everyone had a great time on it.”
Carey recalled the night Paul McCartney appeared on the show and brought a tie and a set of braces for the barman to wear.
“And after the show, a glass of beer was spilt on the tie he had signed. It was that type of a gig,” he laughed.
The latest figures show he had an audience of 9.91 million each week, the biggest audience recorded in Britain since the current measurement methods were launched 15 years ago.
