Corrie Colson out to cop a gong like Glitterball Ellie

Corrie’s Colson Smith is currently the bookies’ favourite to be crowned the winner of Celebrity Big Brother, which will please him, as he’ll get some decent bragging rights alongside pal Ellie Leach.

The actor – who has no plans to leave the ITV soap – has set his sights at least on getting to the final, and not getting sacked in the process, as he hopes to resume his role as Corrie copper Craig Tinker.

“If I’m doing the show, I want to get as much of the experience as I can,” says the 25-year-old, right.

“So I want to be there for the final day. I think my gutting thing would be if I was out early – if you’re doing it, you might as well do it properly. I can never do Strictly can I now Ellie’s gone and won that! It would be mint to win Big Brother though.

“It’d just be a mint picture of Ellie with the Glitterball and me being the Big Brother winner. It’d be like Craig and Faye have done well for themselves.”

Ellie is no longer on the soap, but Colson, who has been on the Street since he was 12, aims to stick around as long as possible. Though he jokes he’s put his mum in touch with his agent, so if he causes any controversies in the CBB house, they can coordinate on “damage limitations”. “I love Corrie,” he says. “It’s a national institution and the small part that I play in it, I’m so lucky to do it. But, I love being myself. I never want to leave the show, but any opportunities I get as Colson, I’m going to take.

“I kind of want to present. That’s kind of my dream career, so if that opportunity came and I could stay as Craig, it’d be perfect. But it’s just a case of seeing what happens.

“I’m very fortunate and super lucky. I know whatever opportunities come, Corrie are always gonna support and help me.”

Although he might come back to an alarming amount of work. “There’s three weeks of no Craig, which means the crime rate in Weatherfield is probably gonna be through the roof.”

‘‘ I love Corrie... I’m so lucky. But I want to present. That is kind of my dream career