David Ervine: Actor Paul Garrett on becoming the politician

Speaking about the first time he met Mr Ervine’s widow, Jeannette, he told BBC News NI: “I’m standing there looking as best as I can as her late husband, so I pulled her aside; it was very emotional for both of us.

“She gave me one of David’s ties.”

One moment in particular resonated with Garrett, and that was David Ervine on a big screen at a bar singing My Way by Frank Sinatra.

“I don't know whether Jeanette had ever seen that footage, but we just held hands. The pair of us were in bits,” he said.

“I’m an actor doing a job, trying to do it to the best of my ability – this is this man’s wife. So at a very human level, that just floored me.”