Veteran broadcaster sizes up incoming Fab Four film project that also stars Barry Keoghan
His new series of Fanning at Whelan’s will feature not one but two famous siblings in the form of Billie Eilish’s brother Finneas, and Paul Mescal’s sister Nell. Also featured will be Billions star Damien Lewis, who has an eponymous five-piece band.
While filming the show, Nell revealed to Fanning (69) how her BAFTA-winning brother is struggling with one aspect of playing Paul McCartney in the new Beatles biopics.
“After the interview, I said to her, ‘Are you impressed I never mentioned Paul?’ and she said ‘Yeah’,” said Fanning.
“It was really funny as at one stage, we were walking down the road and she said, ‘He’s freaking out at the moment.’
“When I asked why, she said he has to learn not just to play the bass guitar, but to play it upside down because he’s right-handed and Paul (McCartney) had a left-handed one. So he’s really trying to learn it.”
Paul Mescal, Joseph Quinn, Barry Keoghan and Harris Dickinson promote the upcoming films ‘The Beatles’: Photo: Gabe Ginsberg/WireImage
The ambitious project marks the first time The Beatles, Apple Corps Ltd and John Lennon and George Harrison’s families have granted full life story and music rights for a film.
Each film will focus on a different band member with Oscar-nominee Saoirse Ronan playing McCartney’s wife, Linda McCartney.
An ardent Beatles fan, Fanning said it remains to be seen if the biopics will hit the right note with audiences.
I just don’t see how that’s going to work but anything to do with the Beatles is fine by me
“It is either going to be amazing or it will be what Sam Mendes is capable of doing, which is believing in his own ego. Four full movies by 2028 is a lot,” he said.
“Obviously, they will have to interlock a bit. I just don’t see how that’s going to work but anything to do with the Beatles is fine by me.”
Describing himself as their “number one fan”, he has loved The Beatles since he was a child.
The Beatles pictured on their arrival in London following a tour of Australia in 1964. Fox Photos/Getty Images
“I was about five when they released their first single (in 1962) and by the age of six I was in their fan club. They reared me, alongside my parents. It was them and Bob Dylan,” he said.
But he is less effusive when it comes to the live performances of Dylan, who played the 3Arena earlier this week. Fanning has seen him play many times but believes he is “dreadful live”.
“He’s 84 – you’d wonder why he’s still touring. I wish he’d stop coming to Dublin and then I won’t have to go. But I go because it’s Bob Dylan. You have to worship at the shrine.
“I’ve seen him 16 times and he’s never been good live. I saved money once, when I was on the dole, to go to London to see him and I thought, ‘He’s not great’.
“I went back the following night, I was five seats from the front and he was still s**te.”
Bob Dylan
Also a huge U2 fan, the foursome are expected to release some new music over the coming year or two as they’re busy in the studio.
“They are recording away, but they’re always recording, so I’m sure they’ll have an album out. I’m sure they will tour and do dates,” he said.
Fanning, one of the longest-lasting stars in RTÉ having started with them in 1979, currently fronts an evening show on RTÉ Gold from 6-8pm.
“I’m doing six nights a week, two hours a night. I play about 800 tracks a week, which is a lot of music. Then on Saturday it’s all about the history of rock. That’s all anecdotes and about 20pc talking,” he said.
The Beatles in their Sgt Pepper outfits. Photo: Disney+
The busy broadcaster also has a new documentary on late legend David Bowie and Limerick’s The Cranberries. Fortunately for Fanning, he still loves working in the entertainment industry.
“I have loved every minute of it. I have been really lucky and want to keep the luck going. That’s the problem; I love it so much, I just want to keep doing it. People say don’t make your hobby your job – are you mad? I’m delighted I was able to do that,” he said.
RTÉ Radio 1 recently saw its biggest reshuffle in over a decade. While Fanning “doesn’t listen to the radio much”, he supports the shake-up by RTÉ director of audio Patricia Monahan.
“I think it’s great. Patricia had to do something, and she’s done something, and I think it’s brilliant,” he said.
“Complacency does set in in RTÉ. I haven’t heard Kieran Cuddihy yet. But I’ve been on his programme a few times on Newstalk and I bet you he’s really good.
“The only thing with Liveline is, the public run it, you don’t run it. It’s not about you, and then it becomes you. I’d say he’s brilliant on it.”
Tune into Fanning at Whelan’s in association with Guinness every Saturday night at 10pm on Virgin Media Two and Virgin Media Play from December 6, with each episode repeated on Thursday nights at 11pm on Virgin Media One.