Morrissey was eager to play a comic role after starring in these dramas. He subsequently reunited with Peter Bowker for the BBC One musical serial "Blackpool", in which he plays Blackpool arcade owner Ripley Holden. Bowker remembered Morrissey from "Out of the Blue" and wanted to build off the actor's sense of humour and to cast him against type. Before filming began, Morrissey spent four days in Blackpool talking to the locals and finding out how the arcades worked. His performance was described in "The Daily Telegraph" as "a powerful mixture of barely suppressed danger and vulnerable, boyish charm." A public poll on bbc.co.uk ranked him the second best actor of 2004. Morrissey reprised the role in 2006 in the one-off sequel "Viva Blackpool!". He was pleased to revive Ripley after filming dramatic roles since the original serial.