Paddy Power: Cheltenham's Coming Home

Hollywood heavyweight Colm Meaney will front a new Paddy Power advert, which stokes the sporting rivalry between Ireland and England ahead of the Cheltenham Festival. In the ad - which will be broadcast for the first time tonight (Friday 21st) - the Star Trek actor aims various tongue-in-cheek digs at England's supposed 'slights' against his nation.
Agency: The Public House

In one scene, he says: “This is for Geoblocking the iPlayer, and for dragging us into your messy divorce. For leaving us in the worst parts of your airport and for chasing out the first Royal’s that were ever any fun.” He adds: “And for not caring as much as we do about Ireland versus England!” Speaking about his involvement in the advert which celebrates the Green Army arrival and anticipated success at The Festival, Colm says: “It’s a sort of gentle joshing, if you like, given the sporting rivalry that exists between England and Ireland. I think this is a nice gentle push back at that.” He admits the current political climate both here and across the water, in the aftermath of Brexit, has only served to make that sense of rivalry feel even livelier this year.