The Shawshank Redemption: 'Strictly' winner Joe McFadden on taking on the iconic prisoner role

Joe McFadden is familiar from Strictly Come Dancing and Heartbreak, but he's in Ireland to play Andy Dufresne in a stage adaptation of Steven King's classic tale

Mon, 20 Apr, 2026 - 21:30

Cara O'Doherty

Star of stage and screen Joe McFadden is stepping into one of modern storytelling’s most iconic roles, bringing Andy Dufresne to life at Dublin’s Bord Gáis Energy Theatre. Amid an ambitious 10-month tour of Stephen King’s The Shawshank Redemption, McFadden is embracing the weight of expectation that comes with such a beloved character and relishing every moment of the challenge.

“People ask, was it terrifying, but being the hopeless, relentless optimist I am, I just thought how exciting it is to get to play this brilliant character, and dissect what it is about him and the story that people respond to so well, and have my own take on the story.”

To get to grips with the character, McFadden read the original novella and watched the much-loved film starring Tim Robbins and Morgan Freeman.

“I try to devour everything I can. My job was to dissect what about the story people respond to so well. I keep changing my mind about what it is, but I think it's the fact that he's this character who's in this very grim place, yet he manages to hold on to his integrity and his honesty.”

Best known for his roles in Heartbeat and Holby City, McFadden says this particular production of Shawshank offers audiences an opportunity to see the characters’ humanity, regardless of the crimes they have committed.

“The best thing about our production is that it fleshes out these people who could be written off as being monsters. They're fleshed-out human beings, and hopefully, the audience responds and comes away thinking, maybe if my circumstances were different, maybe I would have made some of those awful choices.”

Born and raised in Scotland to Irish parents, McFadden says he feels at home every time he visits Ireland. “My mum and my dad were both from Donegal, so the faces and the names are familiar to me. Glasgow felt like I was living in Ireland, because my mum and dad went to the Irish pubs and shops, all my mum’s pals were all Irish.”

McFadden notes Irish audiences actively engage with the play, reacting warmly to both the cast and the story. “The wonderful thing about touring is the playing space changes, the audience changes. Sometimes they're up for the funny bits, other places they're gasping. In Dublin, audiences are up for a good night and are already on your side. I'm in Glasgow soon, and I know it's going to go down a storm, because they're up for being challenged. They're up for gritty, dark stories. I'm really looking forward to Dublin for that same reason.”

The actor won the 2017 season of Strictly Come Dancing with his professional dance partner, Katya Jones, and says the show changed how he perceives live theatre.

“As an actor, you like to be rehearsed well. With Strictly, you have three and a half days, and then you do your camera rehearsal, and then you're shoved in front of an audience. I remember some nights being stitched into my costume as I could hear the [opening] music. It was the most intense, scary experience of my life. I don't think there's ever going to be anything like it in terms of nerves.

"When you come back to doing theatre, when you think, 'I've not had enough rehearsal,' I remember, 'If I can do Strictly with three and a half days' rehearsal and do remotely well, then I can do this.' It puts everything else into perspective.”

McFadden believes storytelling, especially in theatre, matters now more than ever. “People consume news 24 hours a day. It's important to give yourself a break by listening to music, reading, or coming to the theatre. It's important to remember that human beings love telling stories, and the Irish people get that.”

He also says the Shawshank message is so successful because it is about “a guy who has it even worse than we do".

“He's locked up in this awful place. He's a good guy, and he's doing his best. If you hold on to hope and hold on to being kind to each other and connecting with each other, then I think that's the way to get through the darkest of times.”

Despite the play’s dark themes, McFadden says Shawshank is ultimately a story of hope. “I'd like to encourage the audience to put themselves in someone else's shoes, to be uplifted and to find a little bit of hope in the world. Who couldn't do with a bit more of that?”