Former Brookside star Louis Emerick arrives in Coronation Street next week as a new love interest for Liz McDonald.
The actor, currently best known to soap fans as Brookie's Mick Johnson, has now landed the role of Mike – an old teacher of Steve's, who takes a shine to Liz when he visits The Rovers.
Digital Spy recently paid a visit to the Corrie set to hear Louis chat about his brand new role for the first time.
What can you tell us about Mike?
"Mike is Steve McDonald's ex-teacher. He's probably taught Tracy Barlow and Leanne Battersby too. Mike has now retired from teaching, but he's just got his cab driver's licence. He's got an old farmhouse over in Spain that he's doing up, so he needs to work to fund it. His plan is to work part-time and use his cab.
"Mike just happens to visit The Rovers, meets Liz and likes what he sees. He says that he used to give Steve an extra detention so his mum would have to come and have a word! On that day he comes into the pub, he ends up getting a job with Streetcars. So, that's fulfilling the part-time work thing... and then he's going to work on wooing Liz!"
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How is Mike planning to woo Liz?
"Well, he knows she's got a little soft spot for Spain and he's hoping that might be a way to tempt her to come and stay with him for a day or two."
Is there good on-screen chemistry between you and Beverley Callard, who plays Liz?
"I've known Bev for nearly 30 years! We actually did an episode of Mile High back in 2003, so it's been great. That's what's been nice about coming into Corrie – that my character is involved with both her and Simon Gregson, who I know as well. I couldn't have wished for a better baptism, if you like."
What's it been like to dip back into the soap world?
"I think if you're coming into something like this after 58 years, it is an institution and it's quite scary. So, you do think to yourself as an actor coming in that you don't want to let anyone down. You're really going over the lines and drumming them in. It's exciting, but scary at the same time."
You've been on the show before, haven't you?
"32 years ago I delivered the new furniture after The Rovers had been burned down for the first time. I had a lovely scene with Bill Tarmey and Roy Barraclough. It was a couple of lines, but I treasured that forever. It's taken me 32 years to get back!"
Has the show changed?
"Well, that was at the old Corrie set. But what's interesting is that I was waiting to do my first scene in The Rovers as Mike, and even though it's moved locale, you still get that sense of nervousness because of all the people that have stepped into The Rovers before. It didn't take away the nerves – you still felt you were treading on holy ground."
Did you always want to come back?
"To be honest, I never thought it would happen. I'd been up for a couple of parts before and kind of got close. But then as a fan of it you think: 'It's probably not going to happen now'. As an actor, you watch it and you see characters that maybe you could be linked with, and then somebody else comes in. I'd kind of given up the ghost of ever coming in."
Can you say what the other parts were?
"One was Tony, but he's ended up dead, so I don't want to go that way! The other part was the one that Derek Griffiths did, but he's a lovely guy to lose out to. But I've got my time now, so that's cool."
How do you feel about joining another soap?
"I left Brookside in 2001 and for the next few years after that, I wouldn't have gone near another soap. That's the reason why I left, because I wanted to do other stuff. But it's now 16 or 17 years down the line. I definitely needed that gap, because it's very intense. But if given the chance, who wouldn't want to come in and do it?"
How will Steve react to the new romance between Mike and Liz?
"I don't think Steve's going to like that so much. We're going to have to keep that quiet, I think.
"Steve initially isn't going to take Mike on with the cabs, but when he leaves the office, Tim says to him: 'Listen, you can have a bit of fun here. He was your teacher, he gave you detention. Now you can give him the OAP runs!' Which is what they do. It's nice and light."
How does Mike compare to Jim McDonald?
"Oh Jim McDonald's in the right place – in prison! Come on, you'd never let that man out again, would you? (Laughs.) Liz has got someone with a bit of culture now, a bit of charm. Someone who's going to woo her properly! So leave him there, throw away the key."
Does Mike have a dark side?
"Not at all. Well, unless there's something going on in Spain. At this moment in time, no. He's just looking for some part-time work, he's loving doing up the Spanish old farmhouse. Now he's seen Liz, he's decided that he wants to pursue her."
Is Mike divorced?
"I've seen something where it says that his ex-wife Jill went off with half the money they were going to use for this farmhouse. That's why he's got to work now."
How long are you in the show for?
"I'm here until May and then we'll see what happens then. I'll be hanging onto the door, saying: 'Don't throw me out!'"
Are you still in touch with anyone from Brookside?
"We had a proper reunion for the 30th anniversary a few years ago, which Phil Redmond organised. That was great, because everyone was there – from cast and crew. Now like a lot of people, we're in touch on social media because we're all busy doing whatever we're doing.
"Now and again, little pockets of us will get together. I was out with Michael Starke, who played Sinbad, three or four months ago. I also live quite close to Dean Sullivan who played Jimmy. We'll meet up now and again."
What else have you been doing between Brookside and now?
"I've been touring with The Full Monty off and on since 2014. It was voted Best UK Tour. Immediately after this I'm doing a third series of Zapped, which was on the Dave channel. We're going for series three, which just fits in nicely. I was also in Casualty for two years between 2003 and 2005."
And you're always playing people called Mike!
"Yeah! I was Mick in Brookie, in an episode of Holby I was Michael Denton, in Casualty I was Mike Bateman, so there's something about Mike. Are they taking the Mike, I don't know? It's followed me around!"
Coronation Street airs on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays at 7.30pm and 8.30pm on ITV.
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