MY NASTY CHRISTMAS CAMEO IS A REAL GIFT

Marc Baylis is back on Corrie as murderer Rob – and says he couldn’t be happier tormenting his enemies from behind bars

Forget glad tidings and goodwill to all men when jailed killer Rob Donovan appears in Coronation Street this week. Marc Baylis, who plays him, says Rob’s mission is to spread Christmas fear instead of cheer.

‘I’m only on air for six weeks, so the more we can cram in the better – and if it means being evil then great,’ says Marc, who’s back after a year away. ‘It’s fun playing a baddie, so I can’t wait to be the Weatherfield Scrooge this Christmas!’

In the show, Rob has spent the past 13 months languishing in a prison cell after being sent down for 25 years for killing Tina McIntyre. Tina was threatening to expose an illegal scam he was running with Tracy Barlow.

‘Rob is a different man; looking at how long he faces in jail has made him ruthless and he bears grudges against people he holds responsible,’ says Marc. ‘He’s not happy but has to find a way of getting through it.’

So when Rob finds out a juicy secret about the Connor family he orders various people to visit him in jail and sets in motion a ‘malicious game of chess’. ‘Getting hold of this information helps solve a couple of Rob’s issues – one being how to get an income when he gets out, and the other being revenge,’ explains Marc.

Rob blackmails Johnny Connor and aims to get back at Tracy and ruin her new-found happiness with her boyfriend Robert. ‘Rob wants to lure Tracy in and play games,’ explains Marc. ‘If splitting her up from Robert is a by-product, then so be it. He’d rather she didn’t have an easy life.

‘At the same time Rob wants money to set himself up for when he leaves prison so he tries to blackmail Johnny. My storyline opens up a can of worms for the new year, when I’ll be leaving again. It promises to be a fun cameo!’

Marc left the soap in 2014 with a bang as part of the exit of show favourite Michelle Keegan, who played Tina. ‘I feel proud my character had such an impact on Coronation Street as opposed to coming in for a year and suddenly sidling out of the back door of the Rovers and never coming back because it didn’t work out,’ he says.

Since then Marc has co-produced and starred in a sci-fi film called Arcadia, which will be released next year, and has started work on another film. ‘My time away from Corrie has lived up to expectations,’ he says. ‘That movie was a massive goal – and achievement. Corrie opened doors in terms of getting funding. It’s only been a year but I’ve made the most of it so far. If I can do a film a year, theatre and some TV I’d feel blessed.’

Given the interest his character still generates, Marc plans to make the most of his return. ‘The response to coming back has been amazing; whenever I bump into people there’s an intrigue about what Rob’s doing,’ says the 38-year-old. ‘I love playing him.’

What about a permanent return at some point? Says Marc, ‘If I’m asked at the right time, then perhaps, but who knows what the future holds.’