This week is the court case, how is Dylan feeling?
Dylan is feeling very nervous which is expected going to court. It’s got to the point now that he realises the extent of how far he and Mason have gone which is quite overwhelming. He definitely feels out of his depth.
After Mason’s latest threats Dylan and Liam join forces and run off together - what do you think is going through Dylan’s head at this point?
I don’t actually think Dylan knows himself what’s going through his head. He’s a very troubled young lad and feels like he hasn’t got an adult figure to actually turn to due to the attitude and the way he’s treated his dad over the past few months. He’s lied to everyone at No.11, so although he’s brought this upon himself, he feels like he needs that adult figure around to offer him a bit of advice and without that, he feels the best option is to run away.
As you’ve said, Dylan has managed to conceal so much from Sean and Violet through his lies. How does he feel now that everything's out in the open?
I think eventually Dylan will be relieved but at this stage, I don’t think he is because he is obviously ashamed of his actions and expects things to continue to get worse. He’s very scared and overwhelmed and he never anticipated that it would come to this extent. At the beginning of this storyline, Dylan and Mason’s relationship was more of a banter, playful and mischievous relationship, which has obviously developed into something more dangerous with the extreme lengths Mason will go to, which is something Dylan is only learning now.
Dylan obviously had a difficult time with bullies whilst living in London with his mum, Violet. Do you think he was so scared to be bullied again when he met Mason, that he allowed himself to essentially become the bully?
This is where Dylan’s biggest turning point was when he first met Mason. Dylan’s initial thought was that he was just glad it wasn’t him. Dylan was more than happy to have that banter and playfulness against Liam. Initially, Dylan was quite reluctant to do it and wasn’t necessarily joining in, but he did allow it to happen because that was a way for him to survive - it wasn’t him this time and he saw this as a positive.
The last time you saw Jenny Platt was when you were 3! What was it like to see her again after all these years?
It was lovely to be reunited with Jenny. On Jenny’s first day back I met her outside my dressing room, I remember walking round the corner and Jenny had her back to me and I said “hello stranger” and it was just like the 13 years had flown by and I had known her all of that time. I’m so glad Violet had an opportunity to come back because it’s always been in the pipeline, so I’m very happy it was done in the circumstances that it was.
How has it been for Dylan having his mum and dad back in one place?
I think Dylan has really needed his mum and dad to parent him together. Dylan’s background is a bit different because his mum and dad never have been, and never will be, romantically involved, so he’s never actually seen his mum and dad together as parents. Obviously with this storyline and the court case, it’s important for him to have that family unit.
Violet won’t be swayed and wants Dylan to return to London with her. How does Dylan feel about that, especially as he wants to make amends with everyone he has hurt?
At the end of the day, Dylan is a good kid at heart and really wants to fix things. He’s just been led down a bad path, which happens frequently, but people can come back round. Dylan has run away too many times and now he’s focused on making things right.
Do you think in a way Dylan might want to go back to London to escape Mason?
At this point, he knows what Liam is going through and this has really opened Dylan's eyes and made him step back and think “wow, we really have dragged you through hell”. This makes Dylan want to stand up to Mason, of course he’s going to be intimidated and scared of him, that’s not going to change overnight, but he has to stand up for himself and Liam now. He’s done something wrong, so it’s time he makes it right.
This storyline has really resonated with the public - especially going viral on TikTok! As a young actor similar ages to your character, how important is it to portray a storyline like this?
It really has resonated with a lot of people and is such an incredibly important story to tell because bullying is unfortunately so common. It sends such an important message to pupils who watch the show, or even just watch it on social media. Although the target audience for this may be young people, it's also hit adults as the storyline portrays the victim, the bully, the families, and really highlights how so many people can be affected by one person. There’s not enough done about bullying so it’s important to highlight these issues.
How do you feel watching yourself in Coronation Street?
It doesn’t get any easier watching yourself - I’ve been watching myself since I was 13 and I still cringe behind a cushion! I like to watch the scenes I’ve done with Antony because I need to see the development in Sean and Dylan’s relationship and how that changes.
What’s your family's reaction been to the storyline?
My mum, dad and brother Connor have all been very supportive through this storyline. My dad gives me a bit of grief saying “stop bullying that kid!” My mum has much of an actor's head on her, so I ask her to critique my scenes - which are usually facial expressions and if I’m doing too much or if there’s not enough.
Has anyone recognised you when you’re out and got you mixed up with your character?
Yes! Me and Luca went to the Trafford Centre not long ago and someone shouted “there’s Dylan and Mason” which was a funny encounter. The funnier story is when people think Connor, my twin brother, is Dylan. He’ll get stopped in Manchester on his way to college and won’t have enough time to say it’s not him before someone has a camera asking for a picture.
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