Coronation Street star Craig Gazey, 27, talks about his love of acting, the downside of fame and getting a girlfriend... So what really motivates you? "I get paid to do my job, but it isn’t about the pay packet. I love it. It’s a selfish thing. I don’t do hob-nobbing or making friends with people because of where it might get me. All I care about is my work. I’ve been acting since the age of five and it’s always been everything to me." Before Corornation Street you did a season with the Royal Shakespeare Company. What a change it must have been? “I have always wanted to do an eclectic mix of work and Corrie is very different. Graeme was only meant to be in eight episodes and I was thrilled when they asked me to stay on. I’m glad it was only a small part initially because if I had auditioned for a regular character, I don’t think I would have got it. The pressure would have taken its toll. I had done very little TV before and with Corrie all that on-air time is brilliant practice, although in my heart I am a theatre actor. I love it, I absolutely love it. I can never replace that feeling I get when I am performing live in front of an audience." How did you feel about winning the National Television Award for best newcomer? "'Best Stab In The Dark', that’s what I call it!’ Yes, I wanted to win. It was great, I’ve never been to an awards do before and I won!” How did you start in acting? "My stepmum Lynn got me in to it. She used to put on a panto with the Rochdale Infirmary Players and film it on video. I used to watch it a hundred times over. I became obsessed with the idea of entertaining people, so she got me a part in one – I was Little Rambo the fairy godmother’s security guard. From then on, I was going to be an actor. While other boys my age were into action figures and cars, I was always dressing up as a doctor or something. I’m lucky, because I always had a lot of support from family members." What are your other interests? "I do a lot of running. I’m doing the London Marathon this year – it’s my first marathon and I’m determined to complete it. I hate gyms, but I love running along the canal and the furthest I’ve been is about 12 miles. I cook, too. Two of my uncles are head chefs and they help me out. I love having dinner parties – me and my mates do our own version of Come Dine With Me." You are single at the moment. Do you get chatted up? "People just laugh when they speak to me. Not that I mind. I’m single and I don’t want to rush into anything. I’m not looking for anything either, it if comes along, it comes along. I’m quite relaxed about relationships." What about your character, Graeme? "Graeme gets a girlfriend and before you ask, it’s not Rosie. There is quite a nice story with it, but I can’t say anything because I haven’t even started filming it yet. I’m pleased about it. We discussed this at work. I said that everyone likes Graeme and we can’t patronise the viewers by not having somebody on the street who likes him, too. I really do like him. He’s much nicer than I am. His heart is in the right place and he really does care about people. He goes out of his way to help more than I do. I get lots of letters from fans who adore him. He’s popular with girls and young lads and, because he’s so nice, the mums and grans like him, too. Even my dad likes him! He didn’t watch Corrie, but he does now that I’m in it." Are there any downsides to fame? "In Manchester I can’t go shopping without people stopping to talk to me. It doesn’t bother me, but sometimes it can be inappropriate and we all have a bit of a mood on or don’t look right sometimes. I always try and be polite though and give people time because I know how much it means to them. I’ve got this page on Facebook where people send me messages and I feel really bad because I can’t message everybody back. I am thankful to fans and now I’m thinking about doing a Twitter page." Click here to watch whatsontv.co.uk’s weekly soaps video preview, the Soap Scoop
