Craig Charles has revealed his brother’s shocking death encouraged his decision to quit ‘Coronation Street.’
The 51-year-old actor – who portrayed cabbie Lloyd Mullaney in the ITV soap for 10 years – has admitted the passing of his older sibling Dean last year forced him to re-evaluate his life and inspired him to return to the role that made him famous in cult sci-fi show ‘Red Dwarf.’
Speaking to the Daily Mirror newspaper, he said: "He was 52 when he died, and he was a fitness freak, he cycled to work, didn’t smoke. I smoke, I’m not a fitness freak at all.
"And he had this narrowing of the arteries leading to his heart which formed a blood clot, and he just dropped dead at work at 52. I just thought well I am 51, if that happened to me would I be happy with what I have contributed artistically? I thought no I wouldn’t.
"There’s things I want to do before I shuffle off. There are things I would like to achieve."
But despite his ambition, Craig – who does live DJ gigs, has an album in the charts and is about to start filming ‘Red Dwarf’ – hasn’t ruled out a possible return to the Cobbles.
He explained: "I will miss all the people, the cast and the crew. I will miss my mates, Steve McDonald – [played by Simon Gregson – I will miss him terribly.
"We are best mates in real life. He lives round the corner from me and he is always in my kitchen. He comes into my house, picks up my newspaper and goes to the toilet, and comes back 15 minutes and says ‘sorry about that.’ "
He added: "I will miss it [the show], it has been a big part of my life, it’s the nation’s premier show, an institution. It has been great to be part of it for ten years."
Craig Charles says his brother’s death encouraged his Coronation Street exit
