ANTONY ON 21
He landed role after writing to bosses
With his fledgling TV career beginning to take off, Antony Cotton reckoned a role on Britain’s biggest show might be right up his street.
He wrote to Corrie bosses asking for work, and he was amazed when his very long shot paid off.
Antony landed the role of Sean Tully on the ITV soap in 2003, and the character’s warmth, wit and cheeky puns are now part of the fabric.
And as he celebrates 21 years on the cobbles he is still thanking his lucky stars that he wrote that letter.
Speaking about the approaching anniversary, Antony, 48, said: “Should they have a special to celebrate? I’m just thanking every heartbeat as it comes along. I’m very happy, very lucky.
“I do remember my first day on Corrie... as if it was yesterday.
“But I wasn’t nervous, it felt like coming home because I knew so many people who had been in and out.
“Suranne Jones [who played Karen Mcdonald] was there, Sally Lindsay [who played Shelley Unwin] was there.
“I knew some of the writing team, you know, I asked for the job.
“I wrote and asked for the job, which is not a recommended way of getting gainful employment.
“But that’s how I ended up there, it worked. You can’t do that nowadays.
“Everything’s changing, the world’s a different place.”
Antony, whose earlier TV jobs included roles on Channel 4 drama series Queer as Folk, and BBC Choice sitcom Having It Off, added: “Corrie is special to me. I love where I work and I’m very, very proud of it.
“I’m most proud of the platform it’s given me for things like my work with the armed forces.
“I wouldn’t have had that without Queer as Folk, without Coronation Street.
“I’m thankful for every little stage of the way.”
Antony, who was awarded an MBE in 2022 for his work to improve the lives of Army personnel and veterans, grew up in Bury, Greater Manchester, and had his TV breakthrough in 1999, playing Alexander Perry in the ground-breaking original series of Queer as Folk.
He made his Corrie debut in July 2003, when his character Sean attended a disco at Weatherfield General Hospital, where his colleague Martin Platt got involved in a fight.
The following month, Sean turned up on the Street looking for a home.
Eileen Grimshaw (played by Sue Cleaver) gave him a roof over his head, much to the obvious disgust of her son Jason (Ryan Thomas).
But since then, Sean has become a massive favourite.
Antony said: “I think 21 years is coming of age, isn’t it? In Army terms after 22 years I’m either out or on
commission. So yeah, 21 years of Corrie and 25 years since I was on Queer as Folk... It’s mad, isn’t it?
“I only feel about 24. But I think that’s down to who you surround yourself with, and I have a very wide eclectic group of friends of all age groups.” He added: “I was here [in Manchester] a few days ago with [ former Corrie co-star Sir] Ian Mckellen, who’s 84, but I never think of the age difference between him and me. In fact he’s changed my life with his
Corrie is special to me. I love where I work
ANTONY COTTON ON HIS YEARS ON THE SOAP
friendship. He has given me some of the most important life lessons I’ve ever had, and taught me things that I’ll forever treasure.”
Sean, whose jobs in Corrie have included working behind the bar at the Rovers Return alongside the likes of Liz Mcdonald, and being a machinist at the Underworld lingerie factory, has contributed to many of the soap’s lighter moments.
But he has also been at the centre of some of the darker storylines, including a minibus crash in 2015 which left him unconscious.
In 2018, Sean had to resort to sleeping in a freezing tent after being made homeless, and was brutally attacked in a public toilet.
Recently, Sean, who had son
Dylan with barmaid Violet Wilson in 2008, was left homeless for the second time when Eileen kicked the dad and son out after learning Dylan had stashed Mason Radcliffe’s zombie knife in her house.
It came after Dylan (Liam Mccheyne) and vicious Mason had bullied Liam Connor to the point where he considered suicide.
Speaking in February, Antony admitted he was reduced to tears by a scene in which Sean confronted his son about bullying.
Telling Good Morning Britain why he became so emotional, he said: “Because I love him [Liam Mccheyne] and I’ve known him and his twin brother all their lives mostly... It was in the Grimshaw set, so it’s where my home is, and when I did that speech, it was really well written.
“Everyone has sent me messages about that scene.
“When I did it, I burst out crying, it was very real.
“We did it in one take, that was it, and I burst out crying.” His portrayal of Sean’s struggle to support Dylan through the upheaval has won him much acclaim. But acting talent aside, Antony says he reckons his staying power is partly down to his distinctive voice and how easy people find it to recognise his character.
Speaking at the Ovo Cirque Du Soleil show at Manchester Arena, he said: “Sean has been front and centre of the show for all that time.”
Antony, whose reality TV work has included finishing fourth on I’m a Celebrity...get Me Out of
Here! in 2011, added of his Corrie character: “He’s worked in the Rovers, lived in the street, been in the factory. He’s been in people’s lives for a long time.
“And I think he’s also a classic character, who has a distinctive voice.
“Everyone knows what he sounds like.
“Somebody once said to me that if you are on screen in another room and they hear your voice and they know who you are, that means you’re part of the heritage of
He has changed my life with his friendship ANTONY COTTON HAILS STAR SIR IAN MCKELLEN
the show.”