TELLY addict priest Father Marcus Ronchetti's love of Channel 4 comedy smash hit Father Ted won him a walk-on part in the show.

Fr Ronchetti, priest at the Good Shepherd Church, Shoreham Beach, won a role in the series after appearing on another show, Gaby Roslin's Whatever You Want. Like millions of Father Ted fans, Fr Ronchetti, 41, was devastated by the death of actor Dermot Morgan. Fr Ronchetti said: "My wife and I spent five days on location in Ennistuymon in Ireland. "All the cast were wonderful and friendly, very welcoming. I sat down with Father Ted and he bought me a pint. He was a genuinely lovely man. "He seemed young and fit. When I heard he had died I was dreadfully shocked and saddened." To win his part as a team physio in the second show of the last series, Escape To Victory, about a football team of priests all aged over 75, Fr Ronchetti beat other contenders in a quiz presided over by three other priests. He said: "I have been a fan of the series since the adverts for the very first show. "My wife was also given a walk-on part, which was a lovely surprise." The series has been postponed for a short as a mark of respect for Dermot Morgan, but is expected to be screened later this month.

Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.