Mikey North interview: Gary hunts down Phelan

What happens when Gary first realises that there is something suspicious about this person that keeps talking to Nicola?
The town Abergele keeps popping up in this chat room that’s been talked about on the street that day so Gary is on a hunch that it may not be who Nicola thinks it is. So he calls around all the caravan parks in Abergele and he doesn’t land on anything. Then he gets a call back later that day from a guy that thinks he might have seen someone that matches Phelan’s description. 

Is Gary shocked when he is told this?
It’s more, ‘damn, I’m going to have to go through with this now.’ because I don’t think he really wants to go through with what he is planning but once he thinks it’s him he knows that he can’t stop himself from doing this. 

How does Gary go about his plan?
He calls his friend Joe from the army. He comes to the street and asks him for one favour and they get the van and go to Abergele. 

What should Gary do when he sees Phelan?
Well, he shouldn’t have gone in the first place, he should have stayed put and called the police! Having said that, it’s a bit easier said than done. 

Did Gary have any suspicions that Phelan was still alive?
No, he didn’t think that at all because he was just annoyed with himself that he let all this happen, it’s to do with him in some ways. So once the thought is in Gary’s head, he doesn’t let it go, he’s got to see it through. 

That’s always been Gary hasn’t it?
Gary makes the wrong decisions with the right intent, his heart is always in the right place, he doesn’t see what is going to unravel afterwards. But the sub plot here is, Anna. He now knows that he is doing this for his mum.

He is a good guy isn’t he?
I think so and that’s what’s changed about him over the years. At the start he was that brash, harsh hard man that just wants to fight with everyone but he has grown up. I do think he is a good guy now but there are still those traits that were sewn when he first started. Now he’s got redeeming qualities.

What happens when he sees Phelan?
He’s got Joe there under false pretences, he says that  he just needs to go and scare Phelan. But once he sees hi that goes out of the window and he makes a really bad decision to get him back to Weatherfield.

How is feeling about the impending birth with the baby?
At the time, he wanted Nicola to have a termination but he has definitely come full circle now and Sarah has been a big part of that. She has been a big help and that has made him focus on it more. 

What is his relationship like with David?
He recognises himself in David’s behaviour and I remember when they first started they billed it as the new Mike Baldwin and Ken Barlow who had that fewd forever and obviously Gary had a thing with Tina which is how it all started. Now Gary is going out with his sister but got someone else pregnant and David doesn’t like that. Gary thinks David is suffering from PTSD and he is in a way but not for the reason that Gary thinks. 

Gary goes to the court case to give evidence, is he torn?
There is a little bit of guilt there and this is his way to redeem the Nicola situation to the Platts. But the main thing is Gary feels for for David’s kids. Gary has seen a little bit of himself in David and he wants to try and help him. 

Do you think that Gary’s PTSD will always be something that is underlying?
Absolutely yes, when people speak to me about the character that is the one thing that they always remember which is funny because in my head it was a very short period of time but it seems to have an impact and now I am a more mature person I would like to have another go at that  because it would also be good to see how that affects Gary now he is a little bit older too. 

People love Gary and Sarah, do you enjoy working with Tina?
She’s the best and I’ve said it in a lot of interviews recently but that relationship is the best thing that has happened to me here, definitely. It’s given another side to Gary and the characters work really well together and they always get a good response. 

Do you like Gary? Would you be mates with him?
Yes, he is a lot more rounded than he was so the good thing for me is that gives scope on storylines on all sides because he can be that hard man, he can be the criminal in some ways but its always done with the right intentions. 

Are you pleased that the Windasses are instrumental in Phelan’s finale?
Yes it is all going to come full circle in the end and it will end where it all began in some ways. I think it is really nice and it’s great to be a part of it. Gary is the one person who has never had the wool pulled over his eyes about Phelan whereas a lot of people have.

Gary’s time with Phelan goes way back.
That was another really happy time working with Connor and Iain on the building site. Watching them work together was a real pressure because they are both very good actors. That was over five years ago now which is crazy because it doesn’t feel like it’s been that long.

That is what is driving Gary, five years of hatred and knowing what this man is. 
It is doing something which is wrong but he knows this guy has ruined the lives of so many people and put so many people’s lives in danger so he wants to see it through to the end and this is the way to get it. 

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