The net closes in on Robert
As Tristan Gemmill prepares to leave Robert and the cobbles behind, he tells us why this job has been a career highlight…
Since his return to the cobbles four years ago, Robert Preston has packed lots of drama into his time on Corrie. Passionfilled romances with Tracy and Michelle, a battle with testicular cancer, steroid abuse, a near-fatal car crash and a secret love child – it’s enough to leave anyone exhausted! This week, Robert is collared by the cops and accused of being responsible for the disappearance of Vicky, the woman carrying his child. But as actor Tristan Gemmill, who plays him, prepares to wave goodbye to the Street, he tells us that he’s delighted there’s been no let-up in the action.
“Robert’s light has burned pretty brightly!” laughs the star. “I have no complaints on that score. Corrie isn’t like anything I’ve done before, because it’s so ingrained in the public consciousness. You can have long, slowburning storylines, and playing the same character for four years has been great!”
Right now, Robert’s at rock bottom after bride Michelle took him to the cleaners and left him at the altar. He’s got no business, no wife and no alibi for the day Vicky disappeared. The only thing he has left is a solid motive for wanting his pregnant ex gone...
“He’s struggling to convince people he has nothing to do with it!” admits Tristan. “Everyone is telling him he should be looking for Vicky, but he’s more bothered about Michelle, and so he doesn’t protest his innocence straight away. It’s not looking good for him. I think his lawyer, Paula, has her work cut out for her!”
While the search for Vicky continues, police look to build a profile of Robert and discover if he’s a violent man. The bad news for Robert is that the people they are speaking to include Michelle and Carla. As they confirm he has a temper, however, does Tristan think his alter ego could be capable of murdering Vicky and the baby he so desperately wants?
“I certainly don’t think he would deliberately kill the woman who was carrying his baby,” he considers. “But if Vicky had continued to cause him problems and tried to stop his wedding going ahead, then he could have got very angry and made sure she didn’t get to the ceremony. The problem is that Robert has proved he’s a really good liar, so he’s going to struggle to convince people of his version of what happened. If he has done away with her, he must realise that he would always be the prime suspect.”
There’s serious trouble ahead, but Tristan is relishing every moment of his Weatherfield experience. There’s no doubt that he’s made the most of being a Street resident.
“I’ve been very happy here,” he beams. “I’ve had the good fortune of working with brilliant people like Kate Ford [Tracy], Kym Marsh [Michelle], Kerri Quinn [Vicky] and the rest of the gang here. It’s hard work! Soap has a reputation for being an easier version of drama, but it’s not at all. To get it right, everyone has to work exceptionally hard and I’ve loved being part of that. In my four years, I’ve had a lot of really good stories, and four years is an eternity in an actor’s life.”
The final chapter of Robert’s story looks set to be a white-knuckle ride for the cheating chef, but Tristan is now looking to the future. He’s just about to begin his next job, and it’s a world away from the double-life drama that he’s been playing out on screen.
“I’m playing Captain Hook in Swansea!” he reveals. “I haven’t done panto before and I’m really looking forward to it. It’ll be nice for my family to be able to come along and watch, and it’ll be a bit happier than Robert’s life has been recently!”