Andrew Scott tells Fleabag fans still watching the show to ‘do something better’ with their lives

Andrew Scott has joked that fans still watching hit comedy Fleabag five years after the series concluded need to “do something better” with their lives.

The show, written by Phoebe Waller-Bridge, ran for two seasons, with Andrew Scott playing the “hot priest”.

The character became a fan favourite, while the show received widespread critical acclaim for its writing, acting, and its depiction of a relationship between Waller-Bridge’s titular character Fleabag and Scott’s priest.

The second series followed their forbidden love affair, with the show ending on a bittersweet note for the pair.

The actor, who was recently praised for his performance in the drama film All of Us Strangers alongside Paul Mescal, was asked in an interview what advice he would give to viewers still “hung up” on the show.

Speaking to Entertainment Weekly, Scott joked that they needed to “go out and get some fresh air”, before adding: “Stop watching. Stop crying. Stop crying in your room with your curtains closed. Do something better with your life.”

He continued: “It’s a great show, we all love it, but come on now, pull yourself together. Open the curtains and go outside.”

Scott’s comments came as he was attending the premiere of his new Netflix thriller Ripley, in which he plays con man Tom Ripley. The show is based on Patricia Highsmith’s 1955 crime novelThe Talented Mr Ripley.

Fleabag was created and written by Waller-Bridge and based on a one-woman show she first performed at the 2013 Edinburgh Fringe Festival.

In 2019, Fleabag was awarded an Emmy for Outstanding Comedy Series, and Andrew Scott won a Critic’s Choice award for Best Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series.

Both seasons of Fleabag are available to stream on BBC iPlayer.