In our final 60th press day for anniversary week, we joined Nina Nannar in a chat with Mikey North (Gary Windass) and Mark Frost (Ray Crosby). The Coronation Street bad boys are full of charm in real life, which was nice to discover.
NN - Nina Nannar, MN - Mikey North, MF - Mark Frost
NN - Gary is one of those Corrie creations who has done some bad things, and good things, a character of conflicting sides for the viewers?
MN - 'He has got a good heart somewhere, which I am hoping he will show soon, just unsure as to when that will be. He came in as a chavvy greasy-haired bad boy then went back to being nice again. It's been good to show a well-rounded character through the years and that is one of his redeeming features, fingers crossed.'
NN - Are you still a Corrie viewer?
MN - 'Yes, my Mum and Dad still watch it. As a Scarborough lad, it is very ingrained in the northern culture. It's a big part of my life and still is.'
NN - Gary has been a big part of the show in recent years, with some great storylines to develop?
MN - 'I have had a great couple of years, I cannot complain at all and I've worked with some great people. It has been good, and I look forward to what's next for Gary.'
NN - This community storyline with demolition plans for the street has Gary very much involved.
MN - 'He's Ray’s right-hand man at the minute but then finds him in an uncompromising position with his sister. He will turn his back on Ray and maybe join forces with the residents to get the street back on track. As an actor, he is great fun to play.'
NN - Ray is a classic Corrie creation - what a meaty role to get!
MF - 'It is great fun. I had no idea that 2 years ago, when I got the part, that this is where he would go. I had an inkling he would be a misogynistic sleazy kind of thing about him but had no idea he would be this menace to the street, and during the 60th anniversary too.'
NN - How much were you told of your involvement in the anniversary storyline?
MF - 'Like a lot of people have said, it was bit by bit. I did not know until relatively recently just the extent of his ambitions nor that I would be reunited with the lovely Sue Devaney, the first time working together in decades. It was revealed slightly bit by bit and has been good. He follows in a long line of Corrie villains.'
NN - How was it to join such a long-standing show like Coronation street?
MF - 'It is like a family, a bit of a cliche, but everyone is welcoming. What was daunting, there are lots of people that have grown up on the show and they make it look so easy. The part of the reason it is so successful is the humour and seriousness battle - a tone they get right. As an actor, it is as close as you can to a 9 -5 job in a way. Hard work when you are there but to have that work schedule, the behind the scenes organisation runs like magic.'
NN - As the anniversary week concludes, there will be no one rooting for Ray Crosby. How does that feel?
MF - 'I think it is important to portray these characters they do exist. He shows little regard for community, and as an actor, there is something joyful about playing somebody with a completely different moral compass, he does not care! There is something quite liberating there and quite sad. Something striking about Ray is that he feeds off it. He has to antagonise everybody and feels it is personal. He loathes the sentimentality about the community and has a desire to escape all of that.'
*****
The final words of this press day are from Michael Le Vell (Kevin Webster). At the very end of this interview, Michael (standing in a studio interview room - he doesn't own a laptop) was asked, how 60-year old Corrie could keep going in this very competitive TV world?
Michael replied 'Keep the humour, keep characters, and good storylines that the public can invest it. People spend a lot of time investing in these characters, and that keeps the viewers interested to keep watching!'
Poignant words from a Corrie legend and I think he is correct. Thanks to our editor Glenda for letting me be part of this latest press day.
I am @rybazoxo your roving Corrie cobbles reporter!
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