Rover’s return
Violet back on the Street after 16 years away from the cobbles
I’m excited to see my mate Jenny.. and also to see Violet. I just hope she’s not nervous ANTONY COTTON
ROVER’S Return barmaid Violet Wilson is heading back to Weatherfield to help her wayward son Dylan after 16 years away from the Street.
Antony Cotton, who plays teenager Dylan’s gay dad Sean Tully, has revealed actress Jenny Platt is set to return.
Violet gave birth to Dylan in 2008 after making a drunken pact with Sean to have a baby if they were single at 30.
Speaking ahead of their first scenes, filmed last month, Antony says: “Tomorrow, after 16 years, Jenny is coming back. We’ve tried to get her back in various different ways, means, forms for a little bit – because at the end of the day, she’s Dylan’s mum.
“We do often talk about Violet… and Sean off-screen goes down and stays with them. But 16 years ago she left with Dylan and she’s never been seen on screen since.” Antony is thrilled to be working with his pal again, having always kept in touch with Jenny.
He adds: “She’s not even been in the new building, let alone play Violet.
“So I’m very excited to see my mate, Jenny, and also to see Violet.
“I just hope that she’s not nervous because she doesn’t need to be nervous.”
Antony, 48, admits working on the ITV soap had changed enormously since Jenny was last there.
He says: “We shot a lot less content. When she was there the internet barely existed. Isn’t that mad?
“And there were no smartphones, people were still using Blackberries.”
He said their scenes would be interesting to play because there was “a bit of blame” going back and forth between them over Dylan’s involvement with the bullying of Liam Connor.
He’s now hoping that she can be persuaded to return again after her initial stint of a month.
He says: “This storyline is going to go on. As long as it goes well and she enjoys it, I’m hoping we might see her again.
“Because if there’s more of this stuff
Violet gives birth in 2008
CORRIE STAR ON PAL JENNY’S COBBLES COMEBACK
and it gets more serious, one would imagine we would perhaps see Violet again.” In the plot, Dylan has been caught up in the serious bullying of Liam, led by Mason Radcliffe, which has led to the youngster considering ways of ending his life.
Doting father Sean just cannot accept that Dylan, played by 17-yearold Liam Mccheyne, has anything to do with the bullying.
But Antony sighs: “It’s a very shocking story. And unfortunately it is a reality.
“Our show has to mirror life and to reflect societal issues. And male suicide is the biggest killer in Britain for men under the age of 40.”