Coronation Street Blog Interview: Calum Lill

Since the character of solicitor Joel Deering first appeared on Corrie in September 2023, actor Calum Lill has brought something special to the Street. A show with a large cast, it's always a delight when someone with a strong screen presence joins, and it's unfortunate, from that point of view, that his character couldn't be more long-term. But, soap justice dictates that villains of his nature should get their comeuppance, and so once his dreadful crimes became known, it was always going to end with a departure of some sort.

As readers will know, Joel's murder led to a 'whodunit' which has spanned the past number of weeks. The culprit was finally revealed in tonight's episode, and so fans who haven't caught up yet should look away now.

I had the pleasure of travelling to Coronation Street Studios in Manchester for a farewell interview with Calum. He came across as such a lovely person who is funny, humble, passionate, and so dedicated to his craft, and it was clear from Corrie staff there on the day that he is much missed since his departure.

We got straight into finding out what it was like to play such a part, and to hear Calum's take on things.

Joel's charm saw fellow solicitor Dee-Dee Bailey (Channique Sterling-Brown) fall in love with him, and their engagement follow. But it also disguised the truth of his terrible character, and the horrendous acts he was capable of committing. “At first, because I had to be under the radar, I had to try and be as beige as possible for as long as possible,” Calum explains.

But the emergence of Joel's secret wife and child offered some indication that he wasn't all he seemed. “One of the plans was, he can't be perfect, so let's put in some sort of bad background,” Calum tells us, explaining that the intention behind their inclusion was to hopefully throw people off the scent of what were far more sinister elements to his character. His horrific abuse of young, vulnerable girls would be discovered in time, one of whom included his eventual killer, Lauren Bolton (Cait Fitton).

Photo: Danielle Baguley ITV

But this act of murder wasn't a certainty, as it appeared at one point that Joel may have attempted to fake his own death. Asked if he really thought he'd get away with it and escape by doing this, Calum says, “I think he did. He's so blindly arrogant of his own skill and his own ability. He thinks he's more intelligent than Lauren, the police and detectives. In a way, his own sheer arrogance was a big part of his downfall. He completely thought he could treat women how he wanted and it'd have absolutely no repercussions.”

The night of 27 September is revealed now to have involved Ronnie and Ed Bailey pursuing Joel with a crowbar, Dee-Dee attacking him, Detective Kit Green threatening him, Lauren delivering the lethal blow and Max pushing him into the river.

We're told this final episode was months in the planning. “It was as if we were filming a movie,” says Calum. “One of the scenes we spent about 12 hours shooting, and you've got all these different cameras, and green screen and special effects, and I'd never experienced anything like that before, so it was incredible.”

He is so grateful for the opportunities the whole experience has given him, from the role itself to how his scenes were filmed. “I've played him nice, funny, boring, horrific,” he says of the different aspects of Joel's character, “and then I've managed to do the soap stuff, and then on location, and also on this movie set.”

The studios in Gorton, Manchester, where his final scenes on the bridge were filmed, have been home to high-end film and television productions such as Peaky Blinders, and Calum gave us some insight into the state-of-the-art technology involved, and the experience of working there.

Photo: Danielle Baguley ITV

“They go out to the real bridge and take 360 degree videos of the whole place,” he explains. Then, in a massive black room at the studio, the footage is shown on a semi-circle of screens, and the set sits in the middle. “We've got this long railway bridge that we've built,” he reveals, “and that's on a table that turns. The camera stays where it is, the train track moves and the whole background is synced as if the camera is moving in the real place.” He says, “it was incredible to have gotten that opportunity. It was amazing. I'm looking forward to seeing it; I can't wait.”

Someone who was also undoubtedly looking forward to tuning in tonight is Calum's Grandma who has featured on his Instagram watching and reacting to the twists and turns of Joel's story.

“I get a text still after every episode,” Calum says. The last one read Blinking heck, is Kit in the frame now? You really know how to antagonise people. I'm so glad it's not real. followed by I watch it every time. You were really bad. That's a compliment. As always, so proud. “She's so adorable,” says Calum. “I love her so much.”

You'll have undoubtedly gotten the sense by now that Calum is such a genuine and endearing person to speak with, and it was lovely to hear what his experience at Coronation Street has meant to him.

“I hadn't worked for two years before this,” he says, and while hard to believe given his talent, therein lies the reality of life as an actor for many. He told us, “I really struggled to find my feet as I started, and for about six months, watching myself back, I was just beating myself up. It just took that time to try and get into the character. I worked so hard,” he says. “I just said, if I give this 100% and I leave and don't work for years, at least I know there's no more I could have done.”

His typical day during his busiest three or four months involved a 5.30am start, working for 15 hours, getting home at 10.30pm and quickly having food berfore spending another two hours learning lines.

Photo: Danielle Baguley ITV

“I am proud of my work,” Calum says, when asked, “not necessarily 'cos I think I'm great, I've not had the opportunity to work that hard before, and I did.” He adds, “I also feel so honoured and proud of everyone else involved. There are hundreds of people in the making of this storyline and I've just been able to be put as the spearhead of it....I'm the one that gets the credit for it in the street, and I'm so grateful to have been given this opportunity. I miss it here so much, and I miss the people so much 'cos they're just the most incredible people. This is such a magical place to work, and although I only got 15 months here, it's definitely been the best time of my life.”

Asked if he's taken anything of Joel's, Calum reveals, “I've got a lot of his costume. His smart-casual stuff is nicer than any of my stuff, so I'm absolutely kitted out now. And I've got the murder weapon at home.” He says of the prop that dealt the fatal blow, “The one that I've got is like a brick that would've been part of the bridge; I've got the foam soft version. Not soft enough to be hit as hard as I was getting hit in the face repeatedly by Cait," he jokes, "but softer than a brick nonetheless. Duncan the director said, We can tell that you're being too gentle with him, and I was like, Cait we've worked together for so long, make sure and sell this, this is the last bit, go for it. She did!”

Next up, Calum will be playing the part of the giant's villainous henchman in the Jack and the Beanstalk Panto in Bournemouth. He says, “I was reading the scripts the other day. My approach for Joel was like, What's he thinking? and What's he doing? and listening to dark music with headphones in rocking in a corner. So I was trying to do the same approach for this and I was like, this is a gag to the audience about magic beans versus baked beans; I don't need to tear myself to pieces in a corner listening to scary music.” He adds, “I've got the unbroken streak of playing villains. Maybe one day someone will give me a chance to play someone that's not a baddie, we'll see.”

After the performance he has put in on Corrie, I know I would certainly watch him in any role! 

It was such a pleasure to chat with Calum, both during our interview and afterwards in the Rovers, and I hope more great things lie ahead for him, because he very much deserves it.

By Emma Hynes

Read all about my recent trip to Coronation Street in A Rover Returns.

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www.emmahynes.com

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