5 minutes with... Craig Kelly

Craig Kelly

Craig Kelly

Actor Craig Kelly was born in 1970, and is probably best know for playing Vince in the groundbreaking Channel 4 drama Queer As Folk.

In February, he joined the cast of Coronation Street as the new factory boss Luke Strong.

Q: Have you always wanted to be in Coronation Street, or was it specifically the role of Luke that appealed to you?

A: It was the role really. It's a very appealing role, and when it came to it, I just couldn't turn it down. I know it's a massive show, and that brings its own pressures, but I thought if I don't do it, I'll regret it, so I just dived in.

Q: Do you think you are prepared for the fame that comes with being in such a high-profile show?

A: I'm not sure, only time will tell. I've been acting for about 16 years, and so I've had various degrees of it, and certainly when I did Queer as Folk, that was very intense, but I'm sure this is something else. I've done lots and lots before, so I'll take it all with a pinch of salt anyway.

Q: Is it a strange experience to be filming in the Rovers?

A: Yes, I watched Coronation Street when I was a kid, and I've seen it all my life really, so to be involved in it is strange. I'm not quite used to it yet. When I was first in the green room, it was hard not to call people by their character names, so I just didn't call them anything. There were so many familiar faces in such a small room, it was surreal.

Q: How would you describe your character?

A: Luke, I would say, is a cheeky charmer, and a decent businessman with an eye for the ladies. He's quite a strong character who can stand up to [fellow factory boss] Tony, but his way of getting the workers working for him is more carrot than stick.

Q: Will there be any romance for Luke?

A: I think there'll be lots of romance for Luke. I'm not sure who with, but there's talk of me having a little fling with Michelle. He's a young, single man with a glint in his eye, so I certainly think the writers have some plans for me, which is a perk of the job.

Q: Is there anyone you'd like to have an on-screen romance with?

A: I couldn't single anyone out, apart from to say there are some very, very attractive ladies on this show, so I'm sure whoever I'm with as the character, I'll be very content with that.

Q: Has the work schedule been very different from what you've been used to on other shows?

A: They've been good to me, because in the first few weeks I had absolutely loads to do, and now, I'm still busy, but it's been pleasantly busy - three scenes a day as opposed to 10.

Where it's different to normal jobs is there's no real end, you're just on to the next thing and the next scene, so it's a challenge in a different way. Normally, as an actor , you've got a cut off point - you'll say 'I'll do this for two months, then it's on to something else' - whereas with this, I'm doing six months, and then they've got options on me for another three years.

Q: Can you see yourself staying in Coronation Street for that long?

A: The thing is, it's so far, so good, and if I keep enjoying it, I could be here for years and years. If the character works, that will be great, but if for some reason it doesn't and we feel like we've come to the end… I'm just going to see what happens. But it is a job like no other, because you don't know what's round the corner.

Q: Have you been working on anything else recently?

A: I've got a brother who's a very good actor called Dean Lennox Kelly - he was in Shameless, and loads of other stuff. We're actually playing brothers in a five-parter called Collision which is being shown on ITV, I'm guessing around April time. It was the first time we'd worked together and it was brilliant.

Q: There have been rumours of a Queer as Folk reunion, would that be something you'd be interested in?

A: I've never heard that, I think it's an urban myth. I think it's better just left, because it was so brilliant, that to have a reunion, I don't think it would work. It's still got a great place in people's hearts, and I don't think you should mess with that legacy. It was a great show, and it's not often you can be involved in a groundbreaking show that continues to find a new audience. I was certainly very proud to be a part of it, and I'm sure that in some way it helped me get this job. It's certainly had an influence on my life.

Q: Do you have any remaining ambitions?

A: I've written a sketch show, which I shot a pilot for, and that would be a dream if I could get that made. But we shall see, it's very difficult to get things made. I'm not a person who's known for his comedy.

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Friday 20th November 2009
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