Coronation Street’s Chris Gascoyne on filming his darkest ever scenes as Peter
Coronation Street’s Chris Gascoyne has said he struggled with the dark scenes after his character Peter Barlow finds out Billy Mayhew was involved in his sister’s death.
Peter is left reeling after Billy (Daniel Brocklebank, read our interview with Daniel about the scenes) admits he was involved in the death of his twin sister Susan Barlow in 2001, and formulates a “mad, misguided revenge plot”.
Chris, 49, said: “It’s as dark a story as I have ever had.
“I found it a bit odd playing those scenes because they are so dark. He’s very tortured.
“He doesn’t go all the way, there’s still a decent person in there.
“I struggled with it a bit but in a good way.
“It’s very well written but I found it hard to place it with the fact Peter’s become quite happy, we’ve gone back again.” Billy owns up after he is injured in a fight, because he fears he is going to die.
Chris said: “Peter takes his hand off the wound and watches him start to die, but then comes back to his senses and puts his hand back on again.
“Up to that point it’s just shock for Peter, he can’t take in what he’s just told him. Then later, he starts to formulate some sort of mad, misguided revenge plot in his head.”
The plot over the festive period sees Peter force Billy to drink two bottles of vodka, and he also locks him in a car boot.
The actor said after a relatively calm spell for his character it was fun to sink his teeth into something so juicy.
“To play both sides is nice. To be honest they are very well written scenes. I love them. They are quite vicious.”
The actor has previously left the cobbles, before returning, and said he can see himself leaving Weatherfield again.
“I can, yes, but I can’t think ahead too much,” he said.
“If I think, five years or something – it’s too far ahead and I’ll be getting old then. At the moment, I’m loving it.”
