This story is part of the June 16 edition of Sunday Life. See all 14 stories . Patrick Brammall is an actor and writer, best known for playing Gordon in Colin from Accounts .
Here, the 48-year-old reflects on his mother’s eternal support, his first pony-like kiss and meeting his wife, Harriet Dyer. Patrick Brammall on Harriet Dyer: “We are on the same frequency – we make each other laugh and that’s important to me.” Credit: Peter Brew-Bevan/BINGE My paternal grandmother, Eileen, who we called Gaddy, was an Irish working-class Catholic who raised eight children.
Despite her stern exterior, she was buttery-soft inside and had amazing blue eyes. One night when I stayed with her as a kid, I remember her insisting I have a shower. I didn’t really want to, so made it a 30-second one.
She marched me back to have a proper one. It made an impression that this was a woman not to be messed with. My maternal grandmother, Mary, who we called Mimmy, was very gentle and soft and nothing was too much trouble.
She had a stash of lollies and always gave me dummies. One night, when my parents dropped me off at hers, the rule was no more dummies for Packet, my family nickname. The moment my parents left, Mimi opened the fridge and there were three chilled ones waiting to go.
My mum, Janice, was my primary caregiver and my dad, Bruce, was the family breadwinner, working as a journalist for The Canberra Times . I was born with prune belly syndrome, a disease that could potentially clai.