![](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/0_Fiona-OCarroll-mrs-browns-boys-040817.jpg\")
<\/p>\nMrs. Brown’s Boys actress Fiona O’Carroll opens up about she decided not to appear on Dancing with the Stars<\/p>\n
Fiona O’Carroll<\/p>\n
Fiona O\u2019Carroll has revealed she was lined up to do Dancing With The Stars \u2013 but pulled out at the last minute to work on her marriage.<\/p>\n
The Mrs. Brown\u2019s Boys actress split from husband and co-star before the first Covid lockdown hit, announcing the news in 2021.<\/p>\n
Prior to the breakdown of her marriage, Fiona had signed up to the glitzy RTE show, but ultimately decided it wasn\u2019t a good idea to take part as she \u201chad a lot going on then\u201d.<\/p>\n
She told us: \u201cI think I\u2019ve burned some bridges there. I would love to do it, and I was lined up to, but I pulled out at the last minute. I don\u2019t think they\u2019ve forgiven me.<\/p>\n
\u201cMy marriage was not in a very good place at the time. I had a very open and honest conversation with my dad [Brendan O\u2019Carroll] about it.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou know the whole Strictly curse and relationships failing and the rest of it? Because my marriage wasn\u2019t great, my dad said to me, \u2018Do you want this to be the reason? You need to focus on your marriage and work on that, that has to come first\u2019.\u201d<\/p>\n
Fiona dropped out of the show, which airs in early January each year, before Christmas.<\/p>\n
\u201cI had a lot going on then. I probably didn\u2019t leave in the correct manner,\u201d she admitted.<\/p>\n
\u201cI wasn\u2019t in a good place and it was a good year, or more, when my marriage eventually failed.<\/p>\n
\u201cAfterwards, I contacted them and said, \u2018I\u2019m so sorry I bowed out when I did and left the way I did\u2019.<\/p>\n
\u201cFor two years after my marriage ended, I said, \u2018I\u2019m offering myself and my services, I\u2019ll do it for free because of the way I handled it the last time\u2019.<\/p>\n
\u201cI felt really bad. They respectfully declined so I said, \u2018That\u2019s OK\u2019.\u201d<\/p>\n
Fiona describes the time of her separation as \u201ca very difficult period\u201d.<\/p>\n
She said: \u201cIt was very soon after my separation that we went into Covid.<\/p>\n
\u201cMy ex-husband was living in Portugal so I was looking after our four kids Felix, Eli, Isaac and Dexter and trying to homes chool, with no work.<\/p>\n
\u201cI couldn\u2019t get PUP [Pandemic Unemployment Payment] because I was in the middle of aseparation.<\/p>\n
\u201cIf you took PUP, you weren\u2019t entitled to a loan or a mortgage, and I had to re-mortgage.<\/p>\n
\u201cI didn\u2019t earn anything for two years, it literally ate into everything.<\/p>\n
\u201cBut I came out the other end of it, starting from the beginning all over again in every way \u2013 financially, personally, romantically, everything. I did a lot of counselling for two years.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think when you go through a tough separation like that, everyone deals with it in different ways. I became quite lost and very numb and I needed to feel alive again.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think I went a little bit to the extreme, I would describe it as hell and back. But I did come back, stronger and definitely more open to being emotional and being connected to everyone and everything around me.<\/p>\n
Fiona will appear on the upcoming episode of High Road, Low Road on RTE.<\/p>\n
She and fellow actor Johnny Ward jetted off to sunny Salou in Spain, but who got to travel in luxury and who got given a basic budget remains a secret for now.<\/p>\n
On taking part in the show, Fiona said: \u201cI\u2019ve been very lucky in everything I\u2019ve worked on with Johnny, he\u2019s great craic.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe\u2019s like my little lucky charm when it comes to fun projects.\u201d<\/p>\n
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