Gerry to feature in whacky fridge film

GERRY RYAN is set to be immortalised in film when the movie of the book, Round Ireland With A Fridge, is released later this year.

Best-selling British author Tony Hawks found a champion in the 2FM presenter when he announced his whacky plan to hitch his way around the island with a refrigerator to win a bet in 1997.

Ryan enthusiastically backed the plan, arranging for Hawks to phone in to the radio show every couple of days to update listeners on his progress.

“It’s a totally purposeless idea, but a damn fine one,” Ryan declared at the time.

Hawks said yesterday Gerry’s support was instrumental in getting the public behind his venture.

“Gerry loved it. He couldn’t quite work out whether I was mad or some sort of performing artist or what, but in the end he really threw his weight behind it.”

Hawks wrote a bestseller about his adventures. He said he had stayed in touch with Gerry and that when he told him he was planning to make a film he had given him guidance on the screenplay.

The role of Ryan will be played by Irish comedian Ed Byrne.

“Because we didn’t want Ed to be doing an impression [of Gerry], we changed the character’s name to Dylan Daly, but actually it’s Gerry and everybody knows it’s Gerry.”

The film, which also stars comedians Sean Hughes and Josie Lawrence, is due to be released in cinemas in August.