Tears as soap legend hangs up his anorak
LOUGHBOROUGH soap star David Neilson has seemingly confirmed his 26-year stint on Coronation Street as the anorak-wearing hero Roy Cropper has come to an end.
He has played the role of Wetherfield’s socially-awkward cafe owner since 1995 and is a fan favourite, despite the show creators’ initial intentions to portray him as a villain.
But it seems his tenure on the soap has come to an end, with the 72-year-old’s character signing over his estate and moving to South America, reports our sister paper The Mirror.
The episode shows Roy leaving Weatherfield, with fans in tears as he bids goodbye to his niece, Nina.
He told Inside Soap: “When Corrie aired Norris’s funeral, we had a scene with the hearse pulling up – and because of Malcolm Hebden, I thought, ‘I’m really sorry that I won’t get to work with him again.’
“But there are two exits in this for me: one for the character and one for David. Hopefully they won’t coincide – maybe they will.
“I know Roy leaving will get a reaction.
“It’s a big part of your life and a big part of that popular culture. He will be remembered for a long while.”
Roy leaves the cobbles in heartwrenching scenes, telling his niece: “One day I hope you’ll find it in you heart to forgive me. This is my only hope of peace. I must go away and atone.
“As you know I have gifted you my estate so you will always have a roof over your head and money coming in and a place to call your own in this kind and caring community.”
Despite the character’s resolutely anonymous dress sense, David’s quirky portrayal made Roy Cropper into a much-loved eccentric.
A massive Leicester City fan, the actor would find ingenious ways of smuggling football references into the script. During a scene in which Roy was asked for the reference number on a kitchen appliance he replied: “LCFC97” referring to City’s 1997 League Cup final victory over Middlesbrough.
The character’s air of amiable approachability struck a chord with the viewing public.
He said: “When I was first in the show my brother was in hospital and I went to visit him in Leicester.
“Lots of people were in the foyer and this lady approached and said, ‘My husband’s just died.’
“I asked if I could ring somebody for her and she said she was going to go to her daughter’s. I gave her my number to say ‘Ring to say you’re all right.’ Eventually her daughter rang to let me know she was okay.
“And I was, like, I’ve just gone to see my brother and suddenly you’re involved in this thing and you’re a face on the telly and something devastating had happened to this person and, obviously, as an actor we feed off that, that is what it is like to lose somebody.
“So, in a way a huge privilege, but also a terrible responsibility.”