ACRUEL BLOW FOR DAVID

Corrie’s Jack P Shepherd on his character’s despair as he faces divorce – and is then assaulted by Seb

Not too long ago David Platt was blissfully married, but this week sees him turn to Alina for comfort after Shona asks for a divorce. On top of that the poor chap gets a punch in the face before he breaks down in despair.

David is feeling miserable when he finds Alina in Victoria Garden and after they crack open the beers, sparks fly. It briefly lifts the gloom after he visits his enemy Clayton and begs him to stop dripping poison into Shona’s ear – which her twisted son refuses to do. This results in Shona sending David a message that she wants to end their marriage.

Since she was shot at Christmas, Shona, played by Julia Goulding, can’t remember who David is – but that doesn’t stop Nick urging his brother not to give up on her.

‘David can’t do anything to Clayton as he’s in prison, and can’t speak to Shona because she won’t let him, so he starts drinking,’ says Jack P Shepherd, who plays David.

‘He flirts with Alina, which winds Seb up, and David goads Seb into punching him. David tells his brother Nick he’s fine but it’s bravado, and when he leaves, David breaks down, so we see it’s badly affecting him.’

Could Shona’s shock decision spell the end for the popular pairing? ‘It certainly could unless David can do something drastic to win her back,’ says Jack. ‘I love working with Julia. It would be a shame if the marriage ended, but that’s soap, people move on.’

He adds, ‘If someone in an accident wakes up not recognising the person claiming to be their husband, they wouldn’t want them around. Shona’s like a new character now.’

David, meanwhile, is as divisive as ever. Does Jack, 32, remember how many times he’s been punched? ‘God,

loads. That’s the problem when your character constantly annoys people.’

It’s surprising then that, as David, Jack has survived to be one of the longest-serving actors still in the soap. ‘I’ve been in it for 20 years now. You get less time for murder!’ he exclaims.

Of course, he’s joking and loves every minute. Given the Platts have been in Corrie since 1974, does Jack see it as a job for life? ‘I suppose it’ll be for as long as the Platts get stories,’ he says. ‘An actor’s dream is to do a Hollywood film or something big, but it’s a

risk to leave a job where you get a fulltime income and are happy.’

Last year Jack left the flat he shared with Colson Smith, who plays Craig Tinker, to live with his partner Hanni Treweek. Jack, who’s about to start a new series of the popular Sofa Cinema Club podcast with Colson and Ben Price (Nick), says there’s a downside to working with friends. ‘Because we lived together and do the podcast, I accidentally keep calling Colson his real name on camera!’