Charlie Lawson has admitted he’s returned to ‘Coronation Street’ for the money.
The 58-year-old star – who first appeared on the cobbles in 1989 – will return as Jim McDonald after last being seen back in 2014, and he revealed how his motivations as an actor have changed over the years.
Speaking on ITV’s ‘This Morning’ on Monday (03.09.18), he told hosts Phillip Schofield and Holly Willoughby: "It’s very easy [slipping back into the role] – and of course it took 10 seconds for [Beverley Callard (Liz McDonald)] and I to just slot back into it.
"Actors will tell you a lot of things about how it’s terribly hard, but it’s not really – especially when you’ve been doing it for the length of time I have. So it’s very easy, and it becomes a very nice job, but it becomes just a job.
"I’m the same as you Phillip, I like fine wine, I like fine food. And so stuff like this, I work now for the buck and that enables me to enjoy life."
Jim will be back on our screens on September 7 when he makes a surprise appearance at his son Steve McDonald’s (Simon Gregson) stag do, but his boy bolts from the Rovers Return, angry at the no-nonsense Irishman for turning up.
However, Steve is not the only person enraged upon setting eyes on Jim as Peter Barlow (Chris Gascoyne) lunges at him, determined to get back at Jim after he poisoned him with bad booze while they were in prison together.
Charlie added he’s currently staying with ‘Men Behaving Badly’ actor Neil Morrissey, and very candidly explained how their time as actors performing for "the art" are in the past.
Opening up, he admitted: "I’m staying with my best buddy Neil Morrissey… and we’ve been doing it so long that the days of the art are gone now. We do it because we love it and we’re good at it, but it’s all for a reason."
Charlie Lawson returned to Corrie for the ‘buck’
