We met Mikey North, who plays Gary Windass, in Manchester to find out about this exciting storyline, what it's like to play Gary, and to work alongside Connor McIntyre. Those not wishing to read any spoilers should look away now.
So, can we blame Gary for bringing Phelan back to the street then? “It's always Gary's fault because he is always getting into these scrapes!” Mikey says. “He does have a habit of causing mayhem, somehow. With the best will at heart, he does seem to mess up.” Might Mikey have any idea why he has this habit of getting into trouble? “He's just a bit stupid probably!” he says, laughing. “It's done for the right reasons, but I just don't think he sees the consequences.”
We know that they do manage to bring Phelan back to Weatherfield where a hostage situation ensues, and Mikey describes how scary it was to be face-to-face with Connor McIntyre performing the role of Pat in those moments. “He's scary enough and then when you put a gun in his hand it makes it ten times worse!” he says before praising Tina O’Brien for an amazing performance as Sarah. “The scene took about three days to film” he says. “It was quite intense and quite dark in there.” Viewers will have to tune in next week to see the outcome of the gripping action which unfolds.
Mikey had high praise for Connor when asked what the actor is like to work with, saying “He's great. He's an amazing actor. I suppose he has become one of the all time Corrie greats really.”
I asked Mikey if he could have envisaged just how huge all this would become when their characters first met in 2013. “Not at all. He came in for, like, two episodes to start with because Gary and Owen go and steal his motorbike and that was it really, and they must have seen something off those two episodes that made them think they would bring him back.” he says, adding, “some of my favourite times on the show were working with Ian and Connor at the mill. There were some really nice scenes there over a really cold winter, I remember. I learnt a lot from watching those two top actors together.”
Asked why this particular story has grabbed people so much, Mikey says “I think because he is just really believable as that character. He is genuinely the right person for that part. You could never see anyone else playing that role. He is so villainous in the way that he goes about it.”
Of course we have to ask if he would go to see Connor and Les Dennis in pantomime this Christmas. “I’ll have to, definitely. I can’t wait.” he enthuses.
Mikey has been on the show for ten years now, and I asked him what is his favourite thing about his character is. “I still like the ‘bad lad’ and doing all that sort of stuff and having fights” he grins. “I love doing fight scenes. I think I might be a fight director in another life!”
It is true, there's nothing quite like a riled Gary Windass. He's one of my favourite characters on the show, and as I said at the start, I am as glad as Mikey that Gary plays such a central role in these huge episodes. It was a pleasure chatting with him, and all that remains now is to tune in to see how it all plays out.
By Emma Hynes
Twitter: @ELHynes
Facebook: @EmmaHynesWrites
Instagram: emmalouhynes
All original work on Coronation Street Blog is covered by a Creative Commons License
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