“I THOUGHT ANDY WAS DEAD!”
Returning Corrie star Oliver Farnworth speaks out about THAT shock twist…
One of Corrie’s best-kept secrets finally exploded on screen when viewers learned that Andy Carver isn’t dead after all! Back in January, it looked as though monstrous Phelan had done away with Andy and disposed of his body – but it turns out that
Pat has been keeping the dishevelled fella prisoner in an abandoned building for all this time…
What a brilliant twist, Oliver! How did you react when you found out that Andy was still alive?
When I first read the scripts where Phelan attacked Andy, I honestly thought he was dead – I think we all did! But before I left the Street, I had a meeting with our producer, Kate Oates, and she pitched the idea to me. I had no idea it would happen eight months down the line – and fortunately everything fell into place when they called, and I was available for filming.
How were you able to keep it a secret for so long?
We had a few tricks up our sleeve! I felt a bit like a movie star being driven in my own personal car to set every day, wearing sunglasses and a hood over my head to avoid the paparazzi. When we filmed on location, I was driven to one place in my car, and then switched with a member of production who was dressed in the same coat and hat. The paps took pictures of him while I snuck in a different entrance!
Andy isn’t looking too clever after being chained up for so long…
I knew that was coming – so I spent about three months growing my beard, hair and nails a bit longer. When I get on set, they put dirt all over me and olive oil spray in my hair – it’s really greasy.
What has it been like filming in Andy’s grotty prison?
I’ve come to really appreciate sunlight, as it’s one of the worst basements you have ever seen! The attention to detail has been amazing, and I’ve taken to putting my own chains around my legs. It’s become something of a ritual to help me get into Andy’s mindset.
Did anyone guess that Andy had survived?
Yes, some of the ladies in my local Co-op said that they thought Andy was still alive, while others were convinced he was dead. They even gave me advice to help me get another job – they said that I should think about shaving off the beard and getting a haircut, as it probably wasn’t helping! At least now I can tell them why I looked like that.