Alan Halsall talks about 20 years on the cobbles
Alan Halsall on two decades in Corrie and why Bill Tarmey and Liz Dawn will always have a place in his heart…
Back in 1998, when Alan Halsall was 16 and had not long left secondary school, he found himself in the enviable position of having job offers from two of the country’s biggest TV shows.
He’d already appeared in several episodes of Heartbeat, as young crook Trevor Chivers, and the producers were keen to sign him up for a more regular role.
Meanwhile, Coronation Street bosses thought he’d be perfect to play a new character called Tyrone Dobbs, the son of Deirdre Barlow’s former cellmate, Jackie.
‘So I had to decide,’ reflects Alan, ‘and you know which one I chose!
‘But it was an easy decision. I’m Salford born and bred, and my family all grew up watching Corrie.
‘Initially, it was a three-month contract and I didn’t think beyond that. I just wanted to enjoy my time there, and whatever happened, I could look back and say: “I was in Coronation Street.”’
Fast forward to 2018, and Tyrone is as much a part of Corrie as a pint of Newton and Ridley’s. And this Friday, Alan, now 36, will have notched up 20 years on the soap.
‘It’s surreal!’ he smiles. ‘I appreciate that it’s been 20 years but I remember my first day like it was yesterday.’
daunting debut
‘Because I was 16, I was put straight into the adult green room. It was daunting to see these people who were all legends; I was terrified! I’m normally quite loud, but I don’t think I spoke for about a year!’
Two cast members went on to have a huge influence on Alan. As Tyrone was taken under the wing of Jack and Vera, off screen the nowlate actors Bill Tarmey and Liz Dawn became Alan’s pals and mentors.
‘I genuinely believe I wouldn’t be on the show now if it wasn’t for both of them,’ says Alan. ‘Work-wise and in my personal life, they were real guides for me, and I owe them so much.
‘Bill would give me advice every day… usually followed by a clout round the ear! He’d go on and on about pension schemes. And his line was: “If you’re on time, you’re late,” because he would always be 10 or 15 minutes early to get prepared. So I’ve always lived by that.
‘Liz was very doting. I’d get stern advice from Bill and she’d be the one with her arm around my shoulder.’
rocky relationships
Tyrone has had his fair share of trauma. Wife Molly cheated on him with Kevin Webster, and he was a victim of domestic violence at the hands of girlfriend Kirsty Soames.
The mechanic has since found happiness with Fiz Stape, but their romance has been a rocky one and the pair temporarily split earlier this year when Tyrone had a onenight stand with Gemma Winter. More recently, their relationship has been tested by the arrival of his narky nana, Evelyn Plummer.
But one thing has stayed the same – Ty’s bid to do his best. ‘I think a lot of people can relate to him.
He’s not the most educated man but he tries hard,’ says Alan, who has recently signed a new, oneyear contract with Corrie.
So, will Ty still be fixing cars and cooking teas in another 20 years’ time?
‘I’d like to think so,’ smiles
Alan. ‘Tyrone’s a home bird and he’s very settled.
‘And I’m very humbled to be a small part of the biggest show on television. If you enjoy a job this much, why change?’