You Ask: Gareth Pierce
GARETH PIERCE Corrie’s Todd Grimshaw ...faces your questions!
Todd has spun a huge web of lies since arriving on the cobbles, but star Gareth promises to be completely truthful as we put your questions to him…
“What was your first day at Coronation Street like?”
I recall seeing Mike Le Vell [aka Kevin] in the corridor – we didn’t have scenes together, but he said to me, “I heard you were very good in your audition,” so that was a nice lift! Then scene-wise I did a lot in No 11 with Sue [Cleaver], who plays Eileen, and we got the giggles because I couldn’t zip up my coat.
“What was the best thing about growing up in Wales?”
I’m really appreciative of the sense of national identity, and the fact that I grew up speaking two languages. It helped in terms of learning other languages as well – I did French to A Level, and my German was quite good. I think there’s something great about growing up bilingual. It just opens your mind a bit to other languages and a sense of self within the wider world. Also, Wales has nice mountains and beaches and things!
“What’s the first activity you want to do when lockdown is over?”
I’ve really missed swimming – I like it a lot, and in the summer months last year, we were still able to go kind of sea swimming. As the summer months come around, it’ll be great to have BBQs, picnics and do outdoor stuff with the family. It would also be really nice to go for a drink with some of my co-stars as well – it’s a massive cast at Corrie so there are people who I haven’t met at all yet.
“You have a young daughter – what’s the best thing about being a parent?”
The cuddles! But it’s nice to reconnect with your own childhood a little bit, too. In your 20s you’re striving to show what an adult you are, then when you become a parent, it opens this window back to all the things that you enjoyed doing as a child before you were too cool! Home-schooling had its stresses, though, and I completely sympathise with all the parents out there.
“Can you tell us your favourite Coronation Street character?”
When I was a teenager in the 90s, my mum watched Corrie, so that’s the kind of era that I saw more of. I think a really great, iconic character is Roy Cropper. David
“What’s been your favourite acting role?”
[Neilson] is such a lovely bloke, and he’s a really great actor. I think there’s a real sense of fun and play to the character of Roy – and David has fantastic comic timing!
“I saw that you were once in a band – what instrument do you play?”
I’m a drummer, and I played in bands for a few years. I was in a band called Equations that did a few gigs in Wales. After that, I played in a couple of heavy metal bands. I used to write for Rock Sound magazine as well – punk and metal music has always been one of my biggest interests. I’m not playing in any bands right now, and I do miss playing the drums. It would be lovely to teach my daughter some drums. She’s certainly very interested in music, but maybe it’s better that she learns guitar, and then we can have our own band!
“What’s it like to have Sue Cleaver as your screen mum?”
It’s brilliant, we laugh a lot together! I can’t speak any higher of her, she’s so great and she always brings fresh ideas to a scene. What’s nice anyway about Todd and Eileen is that they do bash into each other, as well as help each other out. There’s that kind of sarcastic banter, then there’s a real kind of core of love and care that kind of comes to the fore occasionally as well. We get to explore such a range of emotions as actors.
“Would you like to have a Coronation Street wedding?”
That’d be brilliant! I mean, I have no idea whether that will definitely happen for Todd and Billy, but I think a same-sex wedding would be a wonderful landmark for the show – and I’d love to be part of it.
“What’s the best thing about working on The Archers?”
I absolutely loved working on The Archers! My character Gavin arrived as something of a villain, and then as we got to know him, he changed. I think what I love about working on radio Yes! I was asked about this when I first joined, and while I don’t know Ryan at all, I think it would be great for Todd and Jason to be reunited. But I do sometimes feel as though there’s a brotherly dynamic to Sean and Todd’s relationship. To be honest, I’d love anything that widens the family. is that you have so much range, and your casting isn’t defined by what you look like. And being in The Archers is the pinnacle for any radio actor!
“Aside from Corrie, what’s been your favourite acting role?”
Probably Stella – working with [Gavin & Stacey creator and star] Ruth Jones was brilliant, she’s such a fantastic actress. I also had a great time in [BBC1 drama] Ordinary Lies as well, which I starred in alongside Matt Di Angelo [who played EastEnders’ Dean Wicks]. We were encouraged to improvise on that show, and we had so much fun with the characters that we probably ended up with enough material to make our own sitcom!
“What’s the best thing about being a parent?”
“Would you like to see Ryan Thomas come back as Todd’s brother, Jason?” …asks reader Sue Taylor from Stoke