ED LEARNS THE TRUTH AT LAST

Old-fashioned Ed Bailey is in turmoil when his son comes out as gay, says Corrie’s Trevor Michael Georges

Devoted dad Ed Bailey’s in for a huge shock in Coronation Street this week when he learns that his football star son is gay. James has previously confided in his mum, Aggie, and brother, Michael, about his sexuality, but kept the truth from his father.

When the Weatherfield County youth team ace is caught in a compromising situation he comes clean, leaving old-fashioned Ed struggling with the news and feeling duped and alone.

‘James had been worried about coming out to his dad, as he isn’t in the 21st century yet, and would likely receive a stereotypical response,’ says Trevor Michael Georges, who plays Ed. ‘As such, Ed isn’t prepared for what he finds out. It’s total trauma for him. He doesn’t have the right things to say, and has a difficult time trying to process on his own what is going on.

‘Plus, Ed’s trying to get his head round the fact that the people he trusted most in the world lied to him. He has no one to talk to and is isolated by the betrayal.’

The drama begins when James takes his lover Danny back to the empty family home. But when Ed returns unexpectedly and finds the pair looking sheepish, James comes out to his dad.

Trevor says Ed is concerned about the effect it might have on James’s career if he were to become the country’s first openly gay professional footballer. ‘It is complicated. Ed’s old-fashioned to the point of being blinkered and a lot of it is clumsiness and love and concern for his son, who’s on the cusp of a footballing career. Ed worries this

could end it. He believes he’s got viable reasons to say, “Let’s slow down,” but everyone around him reads it as homophobia.’

Whatever lies in store for the Baileys, Ed will always have James’s best interests at heart, says Trevor.

‘Ed is going to work through his feelings, as he knows the important thing in all of this is James, but that takes strength. The storyline has lots of twists and turns to come.’

Trevor, who’s 57 and has twin 14-year-old daughters, has been

acting since his teens but is in no doubt about the highlight on his CV. ‘Corrie is number one,’ he says. ‘I’m still pinching myself and don’t know when I’ll stop – I’m covered in bruises!’

He adds, ‘I’ve had huge experiences in my career, including in the theatre, but on stage you only touch about 1,200 people. It’s when I’m at the supermarket and people do a doubletake that I realise I’m reaching out so much further. It’s a privilege.’ ■