Coronation Street Blog interview with Bruno Langley

I had the pleasure of interviewing Bruno Langley at ITV in Media City recently - and here is what he revealed about his forthcoming storyline.

Very soon viewers will see Todd Grimshaw get a thorough beating. Doing his best to make amends and get back into his family’s good books, which he has been trying to do for a while now, he decides to treat his family to a meal at the bistro. Viewers will remember that because of Todd’s attempts to cut corners when working at Tyrone and Fiz’s house, Tyrone suffered a bad accident. When it was discovered that it was Todd’s fault, Tony and the Grimshaw family were, understandably, absolutely furious and Todd was pretty much ostracized.

Todd’s arrogance and general cockiness seem to desert him after the attack - at least for a while. Arriving at the bistro to treat his family, he sits and he waits and then he realizes that no one is coming. Unbeknown to Todd, Jason, who is probably the most furious with Todd, has persuaded his mum that they shouldn’t go, that Todd is conning them and that they shouldn’t just jump when Todd says jump.

So, after having been let down by his family, Todd leaves the bistro, humiliated and sad. A group of young men surround Todd and after intimidating him for a while, they beat him up, severely.

In his hospital bed he is in a very bad state. What mother would or could stay away from her son when in such need, despite what he has done. Eileen is of course distraught and this savage attack might just be the way back for Todd to his family.

One question that I really wanted the answer to, was, would we ever found out what happened to Todd in ‘that London.’ Viewers may remember that when Todd came back to Weatherfield almost exactly a year ago on November 4th 2013, there was some mystery as to why he had left. There was an enraged boyfriend, but the implication was that what made Todd leave London was something more than a fall-out with an ex.

I put this question to Bruno Langley and he said that yes, we would found out – eventually. For now, after his beating, and after being discharged from hospital, Todd is allowed to live back in the Grimshaw household, but for how long he will be tolerated, is uncertain.

What Todd’s family do not understand is the depth of resentment that Todd is harbouring about the way his family have treated him and what plans he has for further mayhem.  The physical scars are on the outside of his body, thus visible, but the damage on the inside is going to be much worse.

Eileen’s guilt about Todd’s attack is huge, understandably, and Todd will play on that guilt. In Eileen’s head is the undeniable fact that if she had turned up as she said she would, at the bistro, then Todd would not have been beaten up. She regrets having been persuaded not to go and meet him.

Bruno Langley talked about how long he had to be in make-up to have his wounds put on. At first, when the wounds are fresh, he was in make-up for up to two hours. After the wounds improved, over the course of time, the make up application took about twenty minutes.

Bruno told us that when he was about seventeen years old, on his way to his very first audition, he was beaten up, but not a badly as Todd was thankfully.

Apparently, at Christmas, when Todd is feeling sorry for himself, it is none other than Tracy Barlow who tells him to snap out of it, stop feeling sorry for himself and pull himself together. A scene with Tracy and Todd? Can’t wait!

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