Mikey North says ‘Coronation Street’ viewers have been hurtling abuse at him in the street for portraying "bully" Gary Windass.
The 32-year-old actor admits it will take "some time" for him get used to the insults he has been receiving following his character’s recent bust-ups with Seb Franklin (Harry Visinoni), which comes after he was targeted in 2008 when he first joined the show.
Mikey told Inside Soap magazine: "Since the recent episodes, where Gary’s kind of bullying Seb, it’s gone back to how it was when I started on the show and Gary is hated again – people are shouting at me on the streets!
"That side of him is always fun to play, but it’s going to take some time for me to get used to the abuse again, I think."
The ‘Corrie’ actor is pleased to be involved in a ‘whodunit’ storyline after finding out Gary would be a suspect in this week’s Underworld factory roof collapse storyline.
He said: "It’s always quite nice to be involved in a ‘whodunit’, especially one as big as this. He is always quite suspicious, is our Gary.
"He has that look that implies he’s up to no good.
"It’s great as we only know so much in advance. I have a pile of scripts in my dressing room waiting for me now that are hopefully going to tell me what happens next."
When asked if he would be up for taking part in reality television, Mikey claimed he would do anything but ‘Dancing On Ice’ as he is "no good" on the surface.
He said: "Anything but ‘Dancing on Ice’. I couldn’t do that if you paid me all the money in the world.
"Me on ice is not good at all. If they called it ‘Standing On Ice’, I’d still lose!"
Mikey North receives verbal abuse from Corrie viewers
