David Neilson was treated like he was actually grieving after the death of his ‘Coronation Street’ wife.
The 66-year-old actor plays Roy Cropper in the soap and was involved in one of the show’s most famous storylines when the character of Hayley Cropper, played by Julie Hesmondhalgh, lost her life to cancer in January 2014.
Following Hayley’s passing, David admits his fans treated him as if he had actually experienced a real-life loss.
He said: "I do feel people thought I was actually grieving – people were very gentle and very nice and respectful. People are great and the great thing about being in a show like ‘Coronation Street’ which is so loved, is that you realise there is a tremendous generosity within people. They know I’m not going to mug them and if I do, it will be a huge surprise!"
David has been involved in his fair share of huge storyline during his time on the programme, and admits shooting lengthy plots takes its toll on the stars of the show.
He added during an interview on ‘Good Morning Britain’: "When it’s full on, it’s full on. It’s like stepping into another life – it’s quite odd. It’s not like stepping into another life where if you’re not at work, you’re not at work, because people are constantly reminding you of what’s going on in the show when you’re in public.
"So it can be quite exhausting. But I’ve done proper work, I’ve worked on building sites, so I know what I mean when I’m using that word."
David Neilson: People thought I was actually grieving
