Former Coronation Street actor Ian Puleston-Davies, who played Owen Armstrong on the show, has always been open about having Obsessive Compulsive Disorder.
And tonight on BBC One Wales, the Welsh actor is featured in a documentary called OCD - An Actor's Tale.
In the programme, Ian talks about his OCD,
which he says is much misunderstood. He speaks to fellow sufferers,
including a mother and daughter who have agreed to fixed cameras being
installed in their home to show the extent to which OCD can take over
people's lives.
He says: "Filming with the BBC, I went back to my old junior school for the first time since I'd left. The memories came flooding back. Walking the corridors, there were the pictures of the old head teacher, and then I came across a photograph from 1969 and there I was. I'm part of the school Eisteddfod choir and we're waving up at the photographer up on his ladder.
"I'm waving, but I'm the only one not looking at camera - my eyes are down - probably worrying about some small thing - OCD captured in time.
"For years I couldn't go to the cinema because I'd be obsessing about why a couple sitting behind me had decided to watch that film that night, why he chose that tie, what was in her handbag, where were they going to eat later, and so on and so on.
"It feels a bit like my mind is like a whale catching all the krill. The krill being the thousands of thoughts that go through our minds every day.
There was much excitement on twitter after Friday night's episode of Coronation Street, as a lot of fans thought that Owen Armstrong had returned to the show. Not so!
The man who looked like Owen was none other than Corrie extra Jonny "G Force" Grimshaw. He's on twitter at https://twitter.com/jonnygforce and he once played the runner up in Corrie's Mr Gay Weatherfield competition.
Our blog team has met Jonny - and he's a smashing bloke. He says he might need a shave if people are confusing him with Owen!
Ian Puleston-Davies, who plays Owen Armstrong in Coronation Street, has been talking to Inside Soap magazine about filming his final scenes as Owen.
He talks about Faye's baby storyline and how the baby puts extra pressure between Anna and Owen. Owen attacks Craig, who he thinks is Faye's baby's father and then Owen is carted off by the police and has to spend a night in the cells.
Owen is in the doghouse with Anna, but instead of begging for forgiveness from her, he suggests that the baby is put up for adoption.
As they row, Anna tells Owen she doesn't love him any more.
Ian says: "It adds extra poignancy when you realise you're doing this for the last time. There's a collection of rows, and by the time they reach the big one, I think Anna and Owen are exhausted. They part for circumstantial reasons, not because they've actually fallen out of love.
"Owen thinks they can work it out but Anna's not prepared to do that. So maybe he'll go away and realise he could have done more..."
I'm feeling a bit "meh" about Coronation Street at the moment. There are some good bits and some not so good bits, yet nothing truly awful. I'm in the midst of a Corrie conundrum. I'll kick off with what I'm enjoying at the moment. Strangely, I'm beginning to quite like Steve and Michelle together. Steve has always been a favourite, Michelle less so. However her unflinching support now his depression is out in the open has been pleasing to see. I actually have less of a problem imagining them walking down the aisle now. Having said that, I stand by my original comments that it would be more truthful to the depression storyline had we seen more of Steve interacting with his counsellor. A bit like Tim's reading difficulties, this side of things has been badly handled. I've also thoroughly enjoyed the ongoing Kevin/Jenny/Rita story. I hope we will see more of this soon. There's always a risk attached to bringing back characters from another era however Jenny has slotted back in beautifully and I really don't want her to leave again. I hope her story is not cut and dried - I like elements of her ginger minx character but I think it's time for some more layers. I was dubious about Faye's pregnancy storyline but the young actress Ellie Leach has put in some superb performances so far. I hope it doesn't end up going over old ground however as Sarah and Bethany will shortly be back with us it would be absurd for them not to share scenes and experience. I've also loved Craig's involvement in this story. Colson Smith is a great actor and has come on leaps and bounds. Craig has been a loyal and supportive friend to Faye and it's heartening to see a younger character with those qualities. It has been a joy to see more of Emily too. I have liked her interactions with Billy the vicar and it's good to see her doing something that doesn't just involve making up the numbers with Rita and Norris. I fear that sometimes the character of Emily is treated as nothing more than a walk on part but given the right material Eileen Derbyshire still knows how to play it. Unfortunately the material just doesn't always seem to be there. I'm missing Eva already. Of the three actresses away on maternity leave, she leaves the biggest gap for me. True, Fiz and Kylie have carried bigger story lines but Eva is such a refreshing presence in Corrie that I think her absence will be the most keenly felt. I'm also missing Carla who seems to have disappeared into the Corrie cupboard along with my favourite Nazir, the sparky, spiky Yasmeen. I'm still enjoying Steph even though her current storyline is irritating me (more later) and I hope we see more of her brother Luke. I'm not sure being saddled with Maria is the best thing for his character but the siblings are a breath of fresh air. Finally, I have high hopes for Roy's upcoming friendship with newcomer Cathy. I can see Melanie Hill having great chemistry with David Neilson and as we have been assured it will not be a romantic storyline we can all sit back and enjoy. Now to some of my low points from recent viewing. I think my general feeling is that there are currently just too many characters I don't really care about or see myself investing time in learning to like. I think I'll call it Sophie Webster syndrome. On paper they read like a good idea but in practice, less so. We'll start with the Windass-Armstrong clan. All the stuff with Linda just did nothing for me. I already disliked Owen so this has just shunted him further into the pit of scheming negativity. Anna, who has had her moments is swiftly turning into a pinny-clad shrew who spends her time ferrying plates of food back and forth with a permanent scowl on her face. Katy is pointless but she's away soon so we'll leave that be. Izzy seemed surplus to requirements after her split with Gary so who knows what she'll be once Owen and Katy have both left? Apart from this lot, the other family dominating screen time at the moment are the Platts. I don't even know if they have a collective name anymore as so many surnames are involved. Platt, McIntyre, Roberts, Tilsley, Rodwell, Carver, Logan, Turner. Phew. I love Audrey's constant support in the background but she needs to ditch them all fast and crawl out of number 8 into a storyline of her own that also does not involve Maria, Ken Barlow or Anna Karenina. Gail and Michael are an excellent match, two big drips. All this stuff with David, Max and Callum is tedious. They all seem to have forgotten that Kylie didn't just leave, David chucked her out. Callum is yet to develop into a character worth keeping, I'm not sure if they are writing him as a villain or a camp comedy element. Whatever, it's dragging on too long. Talking of dragging on too long, we now come to the ongoing Andy/Gavin saga. It feels to me that the writers don't have enough confidence in their basic plotlines so they must constantly make them even more complex and therefore unbelievable. Qudos to stalwarts Helen Worth and Sue Nicholls for keeping up with this one. I actually quite enjoyed the real Gavin, he was an odious baddie got rid of far too soon. He could've given Callum some tips. Basically it's all just too convoluted and at the end of it I don't really care what happens to any of them. We've been promised it will come to a dramatic head and that there will be repercussions for all. Hooray. More simpering Gail and scenes of Michael clutching his chest. When Gail asks him if it's his heart, it would be the perfect time for Les Dennis to squeak out "I don't really know..." Less irritating but worth a ponder is the continuing presence of Chesney and Sinead. Why can Coronation Street no longer create and develop nice characters who are also interesting? Why does nice equal dull or old before their time? And when these options run out they can always morph into vamps that bed their neighbours, turn bunny boilers and face horrible deaths which are accompanied by swathes of publicity. Chesney and Sinead should be likeable. We, the collective audience should be fighting for them, willing them on. Not leaving the room to stick the kettle on whenever they appear.
Minor points before I go: I hope we never see Liz's friend Erica ever again. Sharif needs to be bundled into the van that comes to take the chickens away and never be seen again. The chickens can stay. I'm still not sure about Vicar Billy but that may be because he's sharing most of his scenes with Sean. Todd's London backstory - what on earth is it?? Still don't like Andrea. And on a purely gratuitous note, can we have more scenes written in featuring Gary Windass with his top off. Even at the cafe, I don't care about the hygiene risks. I've been in it, it's not that clean.
We know that Katy is going to leave Weatherfield soon, taking Joseph and going to Portugal with her mother, Linda. This week, Linda will confess to Owen that she still loves him and wants them all to move to Portugal but at the moment, Katy's the only one that takes up her offer. We also know that Ian Puleston-Davies, who plays Owen Armstrong, will be leaving the show but it won't happen just yet.
However, Ian has filmed his last episodes of Coronation Street this week and last night was his leaving do. It took place at a private members' bar at Media City called On the 7th and there are photos in the Manchester Evening News here.
Ian P-D announced last year that he'd be leaving and said he wanted to focus on writing, possibly putting on a new play.
“I have had a fantastic time at Coronation Street and made some great friends. I certainly would neve rule out returning to the role of Owen at some point in the future if I was asked.”
Ian's last scenes won't be shown until May and we don't know what the storyline will be but it will be involved with the drama surrounding the birth of Faye's baby. My guess is he does still have feelings for his ex-wife Linda and he'll follow her to Portugal.
Due to "unforeseen circumstances", the Men at Work tour of Ireland by two of Coronation Street's male actors has been cancelled.
Ian Puleston-Davis (Owen Armstrong) and Mikey North (Gary Windass) were due to dish the gossip about their
characters' storylines, fellow cast members and more. The stage tour had been booked for five dates in Ireland but has now been cancelled.
The last time they did this show in Dublin, our blogger Emma interviewed both Coronation Street actors. You can read her blog post here.
If anyone has any more information about this cancellation, please do let us know.
I was looking forward to Owen's ex-wife's return. I thought it would be a good storyline to lead to the departure of Katy and, at some point, Owen. I looked forward to Owen getting a comeuppance by having his charade blown out of the water. And don't get me wrong, I'm enjoying that aspect very much.
Owen has never been a sympathetic character. He's a bully and has a temper and he's not usually very nice. He was brought in to be the "next" Len Fairclough, or that sort of character, and I think they did do that well. I never found Len all that likeable or sympathetic, either! Owen was a good father, though, even if a bit strict. We now find out that his ex-wife left the family for very different reasons than they believed and that Owen refused to let Linda see her children.
I've had a couple of points in this that have fallen flat for me. One was Linda not taking legal action and the other is the actor herself. I have no prior experience seeing her in anything so I don't know if her acting style is typical of her or not. I don't like it. Linda should be a bit more fiery, I think, pushing back and getting angry at Owen with a bit more spirit that she seems to be so far. I had a few thoughts about it all over here.
Mikey North (Gary Windass) and Ian Puleston-Davies (Owen Armstrong) were interviewed on Ireland's Late Late Show on RTE last night.
They talked about the passing of Anne Kirkbride and then about their on-screen relationship. It's clear the two of them get on very well together as friends as well as castmates.
Ian talked openly about his OCD, which he says can destroy lives at its very worst. He was diagnosed with the condition in 1995 and says it can be very distressing and all-consuming, but that Mikey is his support and back-up while working on set.
Ian wrote a film script about the condition, which was BAFTA nominated, and "came out" about his condition on ITV's This Morning in front of Phil and Fern.
Mikey and Ian are taking part in a stage tour of Ireland. Check out details and dates here. They talked about the stage show and how it began in Canada where fans were given hotpot and a pint when they came in to the show! It's a Q&A format show, with lots of gossip from the cobbles revealed too!
I've made it clear that I hope the Wind-strongs will be rested in the months ahead. We know Owen and Katy are leaving in 2015 and I'm not sorry. While the Pat Phelan storyline had its moments (mainly Phelan and his gob on a stick wife), they have dominated for too long now. That said, I have found Gary's recent altercation with Roy to be an interesting development. Yes, I know there is only so much Windass angst and misery we can stand, but I think the reactions to Gary's run in with Roy have been illuminating. They have certainly provoked strong debate in our house. As much as I love Roy and appreciate that he's had a truly dreadful year, there is no excuse for his attack on Gary. That said, I can't really blame him. As well as Hayley's sad demise, Roy's delicate hold on life has been rocked by the persistent, unpleasant bullying from a bunch of thugs. Given his recent troubles, he was in a heightened state of anxiety and that must have played its part when he found Gary in the cafe. I also feel sympathy for Gary. When you are told often enough that you are rubbish and a complete waste of space, sometimes you can't help but fill that role. He has been put in a desperate position. He has no money, no job, no support from those around him. He has been humiliated and treated like the lowest of the low. While Gary's main problem is controlling his temper, he has been repeatedly goaded by the deeply unpleasant Owen for such a long time now. It is very uncomfortable viewing. Yes, Gary should not have punched Phelan, but he was just defending his mother. However Owen is wrong to blame Gary for all their misfortunes. It was Owen's greed that brought them to Phelan's door in the first place. Also, the family has ganged up on Gary after they got it into their collective brain cell that he wanted to get back with Izzy. Izzy and particularly Katy (has she not learned anything?) have judged and treated Gary really harshly. At no point did he suggest he wanted to reunite with Izzy, as i frequently scream at my television! I must also take Anna to task over her treatment of Roy. I do like Anna, the character has developed nicely over the years. I can understand her shock at what Roy has done to Gary and her primary instinct is to defend her son. However, it would also have been appropriate for Anna to at least reference that Gary was at fault in his attempt to rob from the cafe. Anna may soften in her stance towards Roy when she realises how much she needs her job. i also think it is interesting how Roy's attack on Gary has divided the Corrie community. It is probably true to life that older characters like Norris and Rita would defend Roy's right to defend his property, while younger characters like Sinead struggle to see past the violence of Roy's attack on Gary. While I often moan that Corrie is too depressing or the drama is too heightened or extreme, I do think the issues raised from this recent storyline are thought provoking and important. As far as the performances are concerned, anything involving David Neilson and Mikey North is bound to be extremely watchable. As for Owen, I can only hope Pat Phelan makes a return to the street and plays some part in Owen's exit. That would at least make it more interesting. Follow me on Twitter @GraemeN82
Ian Puleston-Davies, who plays Owen Armstrong, was interviewed recently on Uckfield FM, a community radio programme. You can download the interview from this tweet below and listen to it on your PC as a zip file.
The radio show asked Ian if the rumour was true that he's leaving Coronation Street, he said: "Yes, it is true". He says that it'll be five years that he's been on Corrie and he's been getting a bit fidgety and it's "now or never" while he's got fire in his belly, to move on to other roles and more shows.
Asked what would Anna do without Owen on the cobbles, Ian joked that Anna might get together with Tim or even Norris!
Ian talks about Owen's ex-wife turning up
on Coronation Street but denies that Owen will be leaving with Katy and
Owen's ex-wife. He said that Corrie asked him to stay on for an extra
six months so that they could come up with a juicy exit storyline for Owen, but he had already decided to leave at the end of his contract.
I'd like to start by saying I hope all our loyal Coronation Street Blog readers had a wonderful Christmas. I don't know about you but I was left seriously underwhelmed by the festive editions of Corrie this year. They just lacked that traditional Christmas magic. However, I've decided to start the new year afresh. The run up to new year always leads to many of us making resolutions for the year ahead, setting out our hopes, dreams and aspirations. So here are my Corrie new year resolutions for 2015. First of all, I must try not to launch into a verbal tirade every time either Liz or Michelle appear on screen and criticise, deride or treat the lovely Steve in an altogether harsh and unfair manner. This will be a tough habit to crack, especially if Michelle is pouting with her arms folded like daggers. I must give the Nazir family a chance. Even if it is downright preposterous that they have moved into that house in Coronation Street. Even if they have no chemistry as a family and do not work as individual characters. I must work hard to accept that no matter how much I try I will never, ever like Sophie Webster, the most ungrateful, unpleasant, whinging Christian in the history of prime time television. I must not cringe every time Andrea appears or jumps onto Lloyd's lap in the cab office. Which is practically every time she appears. I must live in hope that when Owen and Katy's exits finally come about they will be both short and painless for the viewers. In the meantime, one of my resolutions is to hit the mute button every time either appears on my television set. I must not scream and shout at each and every one of Corrie's totally rubbish romantic pairings. Nick and Erica sounded like fun but made me shudder. As did Tony and Tracy (make me shudder that is, not sound like fun). And Leanne and Kal don't provoke a strong enough reaction to even warrant a shudder. Can Sean's budding romance with his vicar please not be cringeworthy? Sean seriously needs to grow up, act his age and be seen to have some form of character development. I resolve not to make a face worthy of a Gogglebox close up every time any of the following things happen: Tracy says something horrible; Dev over-acts; Sharif attempts to act; Michael acts like a wimp; Izzy over-reacts; Maria simpers; Simon is treated like he's five years old when in actual fact he's started to shave; Leanne either frowns or stomps; Nick treats his mother like dirt; David calls his mother "Gail"; Rita plays it all "sweet old lady" or Ken's kimono represents the best attempt at Corrie comedy. I hope and pray that 2015 will see the Platts and the Wind-strongs rested, allowing other characters to have a look in. Let's hope this new year sees Steph and Luke flourish, Jason and Eva get a proper storyline, Julie get her cheery, 1950s self, perched pertly behind Dev's counter (ahem), Roy find some happiness (not in the form of Mary), Audrey take centre stage in a storyline that does not involve a conman or a cross dresser, Rita make reference to the fact she's still married to Dennis and plenty more of Sally and Tim. And please, please, please can Deirdre return soon, ready to get stuck into her stuffed marrow once again? Follow me on Twitter @GraemeN82
When I met Joe Duttine at a Corrie party
thrown by the Daily Mirror (read all about that here),
he graciously put up with my questions and – top man that he is – agreed to
speak to me again for the Coronation Street Blog. And so, while Corrie fans
were laughing at Tim’s hilarious sofa-swapping escapades last week, I caught up
with Joe on the phone (hands-free of course) as he took the M60 out of
Manchester after a long day on set.
Martin Leay (ML): You’ve been in Corrie for
a while now – what have been the highlights?
Joe Duttine (JD): What has been
interesting is the change they made to the character since he first came onto
The Street. They’ve made him more entertaining, more humorous and that is
something I’m enjoying. I’ve done a lot of heavy drama in the past and it’s
quite nice to play a bit of comedy. And since they’ve put me with Sally, we
just seem to have this chemistry and this rapport and it’s nice… Sally and I
have been having a bit of a giggle.
(ML): Tim is very popular – what do you
think people like about him?
(JD): I think people like to have a
laugh. People want to see a bit of humour. There has been a lot of tragedy on
Coronation Street over the years and… I think that’s probably what Tim brings
to the show - a bit of lightness and silliness.
(ML): As an actor, do you prefer doing
comedy or drama?
(JD): I like mixing it up. I don’t
prefer one to the other - it’s just nice to have a bit of a change.
(ML): How much Joe Duttine is there in Tim
Metcalfe?
(JD): As an actor, especially in
something like Coronation Street, you lend yourself to the part so yeah, there
are elements of me although I’m not as slovenly or as lazy as Tim. I like to be
really tidy.
(ML): The dynamic between Tim and Sally is
brilliant – does that come naturally?
(JD): Very occasionally when you’re
working with another actor you get a chemistry… it’s an organic process that
comes from nowhere and when it does it’s really helpful… if you get on with
somebody and you have a similar sense of humour and you understand each other’s
temper and the way they speak, it’s handy.
(ML): So, that’s why Tim and Sally work so
well together?
(JD): Yeah, they’ve got chemistry. I
don’t know what they’ve been likened to but… it’s good cop, bad cop – that kind
of thing.
(ML): Can you see Tim and Sally becoming a
classic Corrie couple?
(JD): It might be a bit arrogant for
me to say they’ll become a classic Corrie couple but they seem to be
entertaining people. People seem to be enjoying Tim and Sally.
(ML): Would you like them to stay together?
(JD): I think it’d be a shame for them
to break them up. We see enough marriage breakups and affairs and infidelity.
It’s nice to see a couple stay together and be happy together. We don’t have to
create drama by splitting people up. There are lots of things they could do
with Tim and Sally without breaking them up.
(ML): What was it like coming into Corrie
and being put with a character as well established as Sally?
(JD): Every now and again… I was
reminded that I was sitting on the sofa in the Websters’ house with Sally
Dynevor and she’s been in it for 30 years – and she’s Sally Webster – and
suddenly I’m playing her boyfriend. I never dreamt that they’d put me with
Sally but they did and it developed and it’s home from home now.
(ML): If you could film a scene with any former
Corrie character, who would you choose?
(JD): It’d be good fun to do some
scenes with Jack. And I would have liked to do some scenes with some of the older
ones… like the Hilda Ogdens… the northern battleaxes. I think Tim could have
had a lot of fun with those characters - those kind of old step-scrubbing
northern women. I think Tim would fit quite easily into that period.
(ML): It’s been interesting to see Tim and
Kevin become mates. Will their friendship continue to blossom?
(JD): Yeah, I think so. Certainly
(with) the stuff that we’ve filmed, Tim and Kev have been friends… between now
and the Christmas eps and after Christmas, we’re matey, we’re friends and it’s
good… it’s much more interesting that they’re friends.
(ML): When Tim first arrived, it seemed he
might have a dark side. Is that still there?
(JD): No, I think they dispelled that
quite early on. I think people have a tendency to come into Corrie and attempt
to be the new Corrie hard man. And I’m quite glad that they steered Tim away
from that because… it’s been done, hasn’t it? It’s more interesting to be
likeable, I think.
(ML): Dev recently criticised Tim’s
workmanship. Would you pay Tim to clean your windows?
(JD): Probably not. I think he’s
probably just a bit quick and cheap. I personally like a more thorough job. I
like the window sills wiping down and I like them to come inside and do the
windows inside… my own personal window cleaner is always taking the p*** out of
me for not doing it properly.
(ML): Tim got stuck on the roof recently.
Were you actually several stories high?
(JD): Yeah, I was literally on the
top of Sally’s house… health and safety went a little bit crazy on that one. There
was scaffolding all up the back of the house and I had a big wire up my trouser
leg. There was no way that I was going anywhere!
(ML): With the illiteracy storyline, was it
good to get an issue to sink your teeth into?
(JD): The reading story is kind of being
put to one side a little bit… it’s still there but it’s not as prominent as it
was… I don’t know how serious they wanted it to be played because it didn’t run
for a great length of time. But seriously, there are people that can’t read so
I guess it has touched some people and we’ve made people aware.
(ML): Will it re-emerge at Faye’s school
auction?
(JD): Not that I’m aware of… I think that
it’s just something that has become one of Tim’s characteristics and that adds
to his personality.
(ML): What will Christmas at No 4
Coronation Street be like this year?
(JD): The Webster household on Christmas
day will be quite entertaining… we just provide all the Christmas fun.
(ML): What does 2015 have in store for Tim?
(JD): I’ve only got the scripts up until
January.I have no idea what life
is going to be like in 2015… I’d like to see (Tim and Sally’s) relationship
develop a bit further.
(ML): What can you tell us about Faye’s
pregnancy?
(JD): All I know is that she’s pregnant. I
don’t know who the father is. I don’t know how Tim is going to react to it.
I’ve not read a scene where Tim finds out yet.
(ML): What will Owen’s exit mean for Anna,
Faye and Tim?
(JD): No idea. I don’t think that they’ll
put Tim with Anna… I think Tim and Sally have such a good relationship it would
be a real shame to break them up.
(ML): Are there any characters you wish you
could do more scenes with?
(JD): I’d quite like to do a bit more in
the pub… I think Tim and Steve could have fun.
(ML): How does Corrie compare to your other
work in TV, film and theatre?
(JD): Now that I’ve got a young family it’s
nice to know that I’ve got regular work…jobs don’t really last 2 or 3 years when you’re a jobbing actor …
they’re normally over with within 2 or 3 months. So being in a show that is
continuing, like Corrie, is incomparable to anything else that I’ve ever done…
it’s more like a regular job.
(ML): You were in The Village on BBC1 last
year. How was that?
(JD): Great… I loved it. I just wanted to
do more of it.I don’t think they
developed my character enough, otherwise I would have hung around to do a
second series but then Corrie came along so I decided to do that.
(ML): What have you been watching
recently?
(JD): I really enjoyed ‘Peaky Blinders’.
(ML): You were in ‘The Navigators’ directed
by Ken Loach. What was he like to work with?
(JD): Amazing.It almost spoilt the rest of my career because I just wanted
to work with him all the time… it was brilliant… a fantastic experience and I
wish I could do it again.
(ML): What was it that you liked about the
way he worked?
(JD): Because he’s Ken Loach he can do what
he wants… there was one particular scene where we were working on the side of
the railways and … we got out of the way when this train came past but as the
train came past someone on the train had been to the toilet and we got covered
from head to toe in s***. It wasn’t really s***, it was a special effect that
he had arranged to get the reaction that he wanted… he can do what he wants to
get reactions and that gives you great freedom as an actor.
(ML): How did it feel joining a
long-running show like Corrie?
(JD): Everybody’s been really lovely to me
since I’ve got there and I’ve kind of got on well with everybody and I’ve done
little bits of stuff with everybody… I’ve had a good time doing that. It’s
quite daunting knowing that you’re coming into a soap and you’re going to be
doing scenes with these Corrie stars that have been doing it for years and
years and years… they’re national treasures, aren’t they? ... Stepping on set
for the first time with those legends… makes you stand up a bit.
(ML): What are you most proud of during
your time in Corrie?
(JD): I’m quite proud that I’ve become the
window cleaner on the nation’s favourite street. I want to be the nation’s
favourite window cleaner!
(ML): You were in the public eye before Corrie
but do you get recognised more now?
(JD): Definitely. I get “Oi! Come and clean
me windows”… “Oi! Can you read this? Can you read that?”… “Oi! Dimmo”. It’s
weird to be associated with one character when you’re an actor who has done a
lot.People associate you with
that character.For them you are
real.
(ML): I guess that shows the impact Corrie
still has?
(JD): Yeah, definitely. Corrie is big in
millions of people’s lives, isn’t it?
(ML): It looks like the old set is going to
be turned into a theatre and arts venue so perhaps some of the cobbles could be
preserved?
(JD): I’m sure they will and how great it
is to be part of that history. Even if it’s just in a small way, it makes you
feel proud.
(ML): Will you be staying at Corrie for a
while?
(JD): I’m definitely there till the end of
October next year and then we’ll see what happens after that. Then they’ll
decide whether they want to keep him and do something with him or not… as long
as Tim and Sally are popular and they’re getting enough to do, then I’m happy…
the thing is with being an actor; you never know what is around the corner. I
never knew that three years in Coronation Street was going to be around the
corner for me. I’d just been working with David Blair doing things like ‘Accused’
and then I did ‘Scott & Bailey’ and I did ‘The Village’ and lots of single
camera drama and then suddenly Corrie comes along and I had no idea that was
going to be the case. So that’s quite exciting knowing that you don’t really
know what’s going to happen in the future.
And at that point, Joe Duttine pulled up
outside his favourite offy in Glossop to pick up some Farmers Blonde beers to
drink at home in front of that evening’s hour-long Corrie. It sounded such a
good idea that I got some beers in myself, which I enjoyed while watching one
of the best Corrie episodes in ages; all down to Tim, Sally and the
lips-like-Jagger settee. Tim and Sally are a joy to watch and their scenes
light up the screen. I would like to thank Joe Duttine for taking the time to
speak to the Blog. Here’s hoping for lots more Tim and Sally in the New Year!
Veteran actor Jacqueline Leonard is going to be joining Coronation Street in February as Owen Armstrong's ex-wife, Linda. Viewers will remember that we've been told the mum of Katy and Izzy left the family because she couldn't cope but ITV says Owen may have been a bit economical with the truth.
Linda wants to reconnect with her now grown daughters but
will they feel the same? It sounds like the Windass/Armstrong family is going to
have yet another crisis and we'll have more hand wringing from Anna who
is going to be worried about Linda's effect on Owen.
Jacqueline is thrilled to be joining the cast (possibly leading to Ian Puleston-Davies' exit?). Stuart Blackburn says
“Linda's arrival will have a devastating affect on how Owen's family
see him and he'll have the fight of his life to hold on to everyone and
everything he holds dear. The sins of the father really will visit Owen's children."
I reckon it's not so much of a retcon as it is showing that Owen didn't want to be the bad guy in his daughters' eyes. We know he can be a bit of a brute and has in the past been a bit dodgey with his building business. We will find out why his wife left the children with him and legged it to Portugal and it's going to change their relationship with their father.
With thanks to @ianwylie on twitter for alerting me to this exclusive in today's Sun (which I can't see online as I don't pay for it).
Coronation Street actor Ian Puleston-Davies, who plays Owen Armstrong, is leaving Coronation Street.
Ian says: "Next year I will have been playing Owen Armstrong for five years and it
felt like a good point to move on. I
have returned to my writing and in 2015 hope to put on a new play. But
I'd never rule out returning to the role of Owen at some point."
Corrie Producer
Stuart Blackburn
said: "We wish Ian all the very best and there is still a lot of
fantastic drama to come for him before he leaves."
I wish Ian well. Owen is a hugely believable character and I will miss him. Without him, I wonder if there's room for Eddie Windass to return to Anna's life? Bring back Steve Huison!
On Saturday 13 September, Ian Puleston-Davies
and Mikey North, AKA Corrie’s Owen and Gary, travelled to Ireland to
bring their Men at Work show to the Mill Theatre, Dundrum. Considering I have
made a number of Corrie related expeditions to Manchester,
there was no way I was going to miss the opportunity of seeing two of its
finest actors in my home town of Dublin. Brought to Ireland by Celtic Horizon Tours in conjunction with BCP Event Management, and described as a hosted interview in the first act, followed by a question and
answer period in the second, I was very interested to see how the evening would
unfold.
I caught up with Ian and Mikey before the show for
an exclusive interview to find out what fans could expect, and how it all came
about. Mikey explained how an invite to meet the fan club in Canada lead
to a return visit to tour an actual show, and that there is now a third visit in the
offing. Having successfully extended the tour to Ireland, there’s every hope that it could go even further afield.
Both Ian and Mikey were clearly excited and
enthusiastic about the show and their natural banter and rapport, evident from
the off, had me convinced that an entertaining and engaging evening lay ahead.
While their on screen partnership always yields strong performances, there was
no doubt that this chemistry is similarly potent off screen, with their humour,
wit and natural and engaging repartee endearing them immensely.
But don’t be fooled into thinking their pairing
as Owen and Gary replicates itself entirely, as Mikey reveals, “in actual fact,
it’s kind of roles reversed because in real life he’s the big kid and I’m like
the sensible one, I do everything for him when we’re away.”
Without wishing to give too much away, Ian told
me, “the general spoiler is that we like to have a laugh”. As far as their
favourite part of doing the show goes, Ian recalls watching Parkinson and
imagining how much he’d enjoy being interviewed in such a scenario. The style
of the evening allows him to experience just that, and he observes, “We’re
quite anecdotal, which helps if you’re doing a chat show”.
Mikey acknowledges that for fans it’s not just
about hearing stories about Coronation
Street, but what goes on behind the scenes, and
the camaraderie that occurs ‘backstage’. Ian added, “We like to think that the
audience enjoy the silly banter that we have. That’s the dressing. But inside,
the information is about the show, and the serious part is about how we
prepare, and the filming.”
The serious element extends to Ian candidly
discussing his diagnosis with Obsessive Compulsive Disorder in 1995 and how he
has coped since. Such is their friendship that Mikey is a great help to him in
the event that he struggles on set or when they travel away together. Ian’s
outlook is a very positive one however, and he is very eager to raise awareness
of the nature of the disorder.
On the decision to embark on a show together Ian observes, “We get
on, and our friendship kind of fitted with the idea that maybe
it could work on stage.” And it most certainly does. Fans are guaranteed to
enjoy their tales from behind the scenes, their experiences of Coronation Street,
and stories concerning their past careers and lives outside the soap, but one
additional and central pleasure of this show is most certainly watching and
listening to the pair themselves. They are clearly two people who genuinely
enjoy each other's company and have shared some fantastic memories. Mikey reveals that a lot of humorous things happen to Ian, they laugh a lot, and they want to share this with fans. Indeed, the mixture of funny stories and genuinely insightful information is a winning combination.
Also central to the success and enjoyment of
this show is the manner in which the audience is welcomed into their world and
made to feel part of it rather than outside observers looking in. The host for
the evening, Shay Byrne, proved to be the ideal compere in fostering such
conditions. His own wry sense of humour, relaxed demeanour and clear enjoyment
of the show contributed to our pleasure and, together with Ian and Mikey, was
central to the creation of a laid back, informal atmosphere which brought out the
best in everyone.
This was borne out in the Q&A section of
the show where audience members were clearly relaxed in asking their questions,
and Ian and Mikey answered each one posed, replying with genuine and fitting interest, sincerity
and appreciation.
In my interview with them before the show, they
described this section as “masses of fun”, and appeared to enjoy the variety of
questions audience members asked them. “It’s like a normal chat over a pint”,
observes Ian, and having seen the show, I can testify to that. Ian and Mikey’s
own enjoyment was clear, and evidenced by their genuine surprise when the first
half had run over time, and regret when the second half came to a close. Their desire
to include the audience as part of the show even extended to a group photograph
at the very end which will be made available online.
The show was also very reasonably priced considering
it lasted over two hours and offered such enjoyment and quality entertainment
making it not just great value, but an absolute must see for any Corrie fan. I’m
told that plans are being firmed up for an extension of the tour in Ireland early
next year, and I can assure you that it’s not to be missed.
.JPG)
