Úna Crawford O'Brien has revealed that her husband Bryan Murray has been moved to full time care as he battles Alzheimer's disease.
The actor, who had played Bob Charles on the show for two decades, had first announced his diagnosis back in 2022.
Speaking over the weekend, Crawford O'Brien said that the decision to move Murray to a nursing home was taken after his "illness galloped" last year.
"The decision had to be made that Bryan would go into a nursing home," she explained. "It was the hardest decision I've ever made, but in a way it was taken out of my hands because his mood changed, he got a bad tummy bug, and he just wasn't aware of anything. I was running out of fuel. I couldn’t look after him".
Crawford O'Brien went on to add that she still enjoys visiting Murray, saying that they still have fun together.
"I think it was probably the hardest decision I've ever had to make because I really thought I could cope," she said. "I knew I was a strong person; I had survived my daughter dying, and I felt if I could survive that I could survive anything, so I was determined to look after Bryan myself, but I just couldn't in the end".
Last year, Murray announced his retirement from the show.
"Bryan took on the role of Charles, a man whose complex relationships and gripping storylines captured the attention of viewers across the country", the show's producers said in a statement at the time. "Over the years, his portrayal of Bob has been a cornerstone of the show, delivering unforgettable moments".
"Bob Charles’ dynamic evolution - from family man to navigating intense emotional challenges - showcased Mr Murray’s exceptional range as an actor". More on this here.
Speaking about this, Úna Crawford O'Brien, who joined the soap starring as Renee Phelan in 1998, praised the show's writers for the kind and sensitive way that they wrote Murray out of the soap.
"I’ve mentioned him over the last year; occasionally I’d say I’m bringing him to the doctors or I’ve an appointment for Bob to see the doctors, but now I’ve had a discussion with our executive producer Brigie de Courcy, and she has been incredible. She has said that she will go along with whatever we wanted," she said.
She added: "There is a very gentle writing Bob out officially. He’ll still be talked about. I’m not saying how he’s going, but it’s a very gentle way, and I certainly approve of it".
Elsewhere, Crawford O'Brien was asked how she deals with the level of judgement she faces regarding her situation, which she described as "hurtful".
"I’m not on social media at all, and Bryan wasn’t either. It’s only if someone alerts me to something that I see it. I’m so hurt – even though I shouldn’t be – but it really upsets me that people think I would do it without putting huge thought into it," she said.
"I suppose we all think we can cope, and then the day comes and you can’t. If people are going to judge you for that, I just had to put it down. I couldn’t contend with it".
In fact, Crawford O'Brien recalled one incident which saw a hoax report that her husband had passed away before Christmas.
"And then, before Christmas, somebody put on social media, supposedly from me, that he had died, and it wasn't true. People were phoning me, very upset. I’d know if I saw a phone call from someone I hadn’t heard from in ages that they had heard, or that they had read it", she revealed.
