The Meaning Of Life RTÉ: Irish actor Olwen Fouéré says Fair City star husband David Heap is gradually dying from rare disease

Olwen’s relationship with David is complicated as for nearly 30 years she has had another romantic partner, a situation David was aware of and had come to terms with.

Galwegian Olwen said her partner David Heap (76) — who played Donal Maher in the hit soap for several years — is the victim of a condition called Corticobasal Syndrome.

“I think it’s been building for a while,” she told presenter Joe Duffy on RTÉ’s The Meaning Of Life.

“He knew there was something wrong and this particular disease, called Corticobasal Syndrome, it’s a particular type of protein that attacks the brain – so it’s a brain disease and it affects everything.

“The symptoms are similar to Parkinson’s. Similar to motor neurone, similar to all, you know, whole spectrum. And it’s progressive and terminal.”

Olwen, who recently starred opposite Jamie Dornan in season two of the popular BBC series The Tourist, admits that David took the news better than she did.

“I find it hard to talk…