Father Ted Mathews first met while working at "Hot Press". In the late 1980s, Mathews, Paul Woodfull and Kieran Woodfull formed The Joshua Trio, a U2 tribute band. The trio began writing comedy sketches to accompany their act. Mathews created the Father Ted character for his short-lived stand-up routine. Before The Joshua Trio played at gigs, Mathews would occasionally come on-stage as Father Ted and tell jokes involving his great friend, Father Dougal McGuire. In 1991, Mathews left his job at "Hot Press" and moved into Linehan's London home. Over the next three to four years, they worked on rough ideas for
Hell (Father Ted) the same young woman from the luxury caravan. Her husband, clad only in a towel, chases after Ted as he and Dougal get in their car. The man hangs onto the hood as Ted races away from the caravan park, losing the towel along the way. Ted eventually stops, giving time for the man to get off, find a glass bottle and puncture the car's tires before walking off. Ted and Dougal, refusing to go back to the park, look to hitchhike home. They are elated when island eccentric Tom, transporting raw sewage in a tanker-truck, offers them a ride.