"Stop watching": Andrew Scott has a message for Fleabag fans who keep binging the show

Andrew Scott, the Irish actor, recently gave a message to his fans who are still watching Fleabag and loving his character five years after the series finale aired.

On Wednesday, April 3, 2024, Andrew joined his co-star Dakota Fanning on the red carpet at The Egyptian Theatre Hollywood for the premiere of his new project, Netflix’s Ripley. In an interview with Entertainment Weekly, the star addressed Fleabag fans, with a laugh, saying:

"Go out and get some fresh air. Stop watching. Stop crying. Stop crying in your room with your curtains closed. Do something better with your life. It's a great show, we all love it, but come on now, pull yourself together. Open the curtains and go outside."

For the unversed, the 47-year-old played the role of The Priest on the Emmy-winning show, Fleabag. Scott's character was the love interest of the protagonist, Phoebe Waller-Bridge and the couple's bittersweet romance captured the interest of several viewers.

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Andrew Scott tells fans to 'stop watching, stop crying' about Fleabag's 'Hot Priest' 5 years later

Andrew Scott told fans of Fleabag on Wednesday that they should get out of the house, instead of binging the 12 episodes repeatedly. The video was posted on Entertainment Weekly's X account on April 5, 2024, and soon went viral.

Fleabag unfolded the story of Phoebe Waller-Bridge, a woman with no filter who navigated her life and love in London while trying to cope with her grief and anger. The drama series premiered on July 21, 2016, and concluded its second and final series on April 8, 2019.

In the second season, Phoebe found The Priest (Andrew Scott), a charismatic and empirically attractive clergyman that fans refer to as the "Hot Priest". He got entwined in a romance with Phoebe. However, the series ended on a tragic note for the star-crossed lovers whose relationship was forbidden.

Andrew Scott's character attracted a lot of viewers as he had a different persona from what one would not expect from a priest, as he drank, cursed, and more.

After Fleabag ended, several fans called for another season of the famous dramedy. However, the creator and writer of the series, Waller-Bridge told reporters at the 2019 Emmys that:

"To be honest, this just feels like the most beautiful, beautiful way to say goodbye to it, actually. It does feel right. Go out on a high. You can't get higher than this."

That year, Phoebe Waller-Bridge took home three Emmys for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series, Outstanding Writing for a Comedy Series, and Outstanding Comedy Series. Meanwhile, Olivia Colman and Sian Clifford who played the roles of Matrigna (Phoebe's wicked stepmother) and Claire (Phoebe's uptight older sister) respectively were nominated for Supporting Actress.

Back in December 2023, Andrew Scott talked about The Priest character with People Magazine in an exclusive interview. When asked about how he felt when people still remembered him by the portrayal, four years after the show. He said:

"I think it's great. It hasn't prevented me from spreading my wings and it was such a wonderful character and there's much worse things to be called in life."

The actor also told Entertainment Weekly in November 2019 that people "will forget about the Hot Priest." Andrew Scott has since appeared in other hit shows including Black Mirror, His Dark Materials, and All of Us Strangers.

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Andrew Scott's latest project, Ripley, was released worldwide on April 4, 2024, on Netflix. The series was based on Patricia Highsmith's novel The Talented Mr. Ripley. Andrew played Tom Ripley, a grifter scraping by in early '60s New York.