Festive fling to rock Fair City as cheating Carol falls for Louie

Alan Devine and Aisling O'Neill, who play work colleagues Louie and Carol, have revealed in a magazine interview that their characters would embark on a passionate liaison behind the back of Carol's partner Christy.

Fair City veteran Aisling said that the couple gave in to temptation when publican Louie suggested that he would pack his bags and leave town.

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"Part of our Christmas storyline is that Louie is considering selling up and leaving Carrigstown, but he realises that leaving McCoys means leaving Carol," the RTE star said. "That's something he can't do.

"Eventually he does start to get through to her."

The mother of one, who has seen her character develop from a "gangster's moll to the Lord Mayor of Carringstown" over a decade of playing Carol, looks forward to yet another exciting storyline.

"Carol's an extremely loyal and honest person -- despite the fact that she's been on the wrong side of the law quite a few times over the years," Aisling said. "So while she does love Christy, she's just not in love with him any more. She doesn't want to hurt him.

"There's a difficult, confusing time ahead for the three of them."

Louie and Carol started working together in McCoys a year ago and their relationship has evolved from one of mutual respect to attraction which culminated in a kiss on Halloween.

Aisling believes that the illicit nature of the the colleagues' romance is what appeals to her character.

"I think Carol is alway attracted to a little bit of danger, and a bit of edge," the stunning actress said.

Once their feelings are out in the open, the pair are at first a bit reticent about having a full-blown affair, especially Louie, whom Alan describes as "having a strong moral code".

"He's certainly not one to mix business and pleasure," the father of two said.

Despite its timid start, Aisling said the secret fling would "definitely [be] going somewhere", so viewers can expect intrigue this Christmas.

hnews@herald.ie