Craig Charles (Lloyd Mullaney, Corrie)Coronation Street's Lloyd Mullaney has really come into his own over the past year. His friendship with business partner Steve McDonald (Simon Gregson) has seen Lloyd caught up in Steve's ever-dramatic love life. However, 2009 marks the beginning of Lloyd's very own love affair - with his best mate's mum, Liz McDonald (Bev Callard). Here, DS chats to Craig Charles about finally being given a screen relationship, a potential family for Lloyd and Eileen's Rubix cube.
I bet you're pleased that Lloyd's finally been given a love interest!
"Yeah – it's been a while! I thought he was going to be a closet gay guy and end up with Sean!"
What was your reaction when they told you it'd be Liz?
"[Bev]'s a friend of me and my wife's, so it's all quite comfortable really. We get on really well, too. The relationship just opens up the whole scenario of Lloyd going out with his best mate's mum – and Steve definitely doesn't like it!"
What's Steve's reaction?
"He's not impressed in the slightest – he's just underwhelmed. There are some fantastic scenes between me and Simon [Gregson] in Lloyd's flat where Liz is hidden away behind the sofa, but Steve eventually finds out. There are some great lines being thrown at each other. It all ends quite tragically, though - but I won't give that away. It all ends on a sour note."
Do you think it's built to last? Do you think Liz has finally found the right man in Lloyd?
"I think Liz very much likes Lloyd and Lloyd's walking around with a smile on himself, too. I think they're both genuinely fond of each other and their friendship's been growing for a while now. It's one of those relationships that's been borne out of friendship."
She's been around the block a few times, hasn't she? Does that not put Lloyd off?
"I think that's what attracts Lloyd! In the Corrie world, he's very inexperienced."
What can we expect from Lloyd going into the New Year? We've not seen a lot of Lloyd over the past couple of years…
"I think a lot of that was to do with some of the problems I went through a few years ago. It was just a case of coming back and taking it easy and making sure I was well again. Then when I signed this new contract, Kim [Crowther] told me that they were going to bring Lloyd more central to the drama – and that's what she's done. I'm really enjoying it. It's exciting times for Lloyd."
Would you like to see any of Lloyd's family turn up in Weatherfield?
"Good question. I'd love a scally cousin or something like that who's on the run from the police. Him turning up in Weatherfield at Lloyd's flat would be an absolute corker story for me. It'd be nice to have a bit of family around Lloyd, but these things are all very much based on establishing the character first. That's how families in soaps have always worked best – establishing them one by one, as opposed to bringing in a load of new characters in at once. I wouldn't rule it out for the future because it's be great to see some of his family – a couple of 'fros on the Street wouldn't go amiss!"
Do you think Eileen's ever going to finish her Rubix cube?
"I can't give that one away! It's getting a bigger and bigger part, this Rubix cube…"
I can't wait,I see Transam Wheel nostril is there,thin on the top and gray???? :)Will Cochansky Boobs be hanging on the ground??
GTO
