James’s secret is OUT

Nathan Graham’s Corrie character tells Bethany he’s gay – but giving his dad the news will prove far tougher...

There’s a shock for Bethany Platt when she makes a play for James Bailey – the Weatherfield County footballer confides that he’s gay. While James’s mother, Aggie, has known for years, James has been keeping his sexuality a secret from everyone else. But when his father Ed and brother Michael push him into a date with Bethany and she moves in for a kiss, James decides it’s time to reveal the truth.

‘Bethany is a lovely girl who has been through so much, and James doesn’t want to hurt her,’ explains actor Nathan Graham, who plays him. ‘He realises he can’t do what he’s done to other girls and string her along, he has to tell her the truth.

‘It’s the start of a long storyline which will eventually see James come out to his dad and brother, the street, as well as his club and teammates, and have to deal with all the issues surrounding being a gay, black, professional football player.’

James and the Baileys joined Corrie in May, and his big storyline starts this week when Bethany drops her coffee in the street and he hurries to help. Ed and Michael suggest James ask Bethany out and, to shut them up, he lies that he has a date lined up with her, before hastily asking her.

Nathan, who’s 28, says, ‘James has never told his dad and brother that he’s gay because he doesn’t know how they might take it. He fears it could tear the family apart, so he does what he’s always done – and pretends to be keen on Bethany.’

However, his plan backfires when he comforts Bethany after she has a spat with Daniel Barlow and Bethany leans in for a kiss. After confessing to her, he begs her to understand that he can’t come out publicly

because it would be impossible due to some fans’ prejudices.

‘As there hasn’t been a gay footballer for many years, and the way the world is with social media, there’s pressure on James,’ says Nathan, who grew up in West Yorkshire.

‘We’ll explore the impact it has on football, his career and how Weatherfield County supports him.’

But first, how wil l Ed and Michael react when they find out? ‘I imagine they’ll be upset that neither James nor Aggie told them,’

says James. ‘No matter what he does, in his mind, he can’t win.’

Nathan, who is straight and dating actress Liisi Lafontaine, hopes the storyline will strike a chord with viewers. ‘This show is always touching on great topics, and hopefully this will be another of those.’

This is Nathan’s first major TV role and he’s thrilled it’s in a show he grew up watching. ‘I used to get wrapped up in the big storylines. It’s amazing to be doing one,’ he says.