Ian Kelsey thinks his dead mother was watching him when he first walked onto the set of ‘Coronation Street’.
The 49-year-old soap star has recently joined the cast of popular long-running soap and couldn’t help but well up when he first rocked up for filming as he felt his mum Julie, who died six years ago, was with him every step he took.
Speaking on ‘Loose Women’ on Tuesday (09.08.16), he said: "Walking onto the set [of ‘Corrie’] for the first time was more than just walking onto a set. It’s a room that a lot of actors have been in; it’s not just a set.
"It’s The Rovers, and my first scene was in The Rovers [the show’s fictional pub], so I was a little bit squeaky walking in there. What was lovely was my mum – she passed away about six years ago – and she was a massive massive ‘Coronation Street’ fan.
"So walking in when you can see all the smoke and the mirrors with all the wood propping the sets up and everything … just walking through the dark studios onto that, I just had a little ‘she’ll be looking down on me’ moment."
Ian – who is best known for his role in ‘Emmerdale’ – has joined ‘Coronation Street’ as dodgy businessman Vinny, who works closely with evil builder Pat Phelan – played by Connor McIntyre – and has hinted that trouble will tear through the cobbles over the next coming months.
He explained:: "It’s good fun to play a little bit of a baddy isn’t it? When you pick a script up there’s somewhere to go you know? There’s a bit of meat to it. I’m having a bit of fun with Phelan who’s played by Connor McIntyre who’s a brilliant actor. So I’m having a lot of fun with him and we’re lifting lots of stuff off the page and bringing it alive."
Ian Kelsey remembers late mother on ‘Coronation Street’ set
