Coronation Street star Chris Harper hails screen mum Victoria Wood: ‘She was incredible’
CORONATION STREET actor Chris Harper has paid tribute to his late co-star Victoria Wood, describing her as “an amazing brain”.
Coronation Street star Christopher Harper has paid tribute to Victoria Wood
Our Friend Victoria celebrates work of Victoria Wood
The 39-year-old actor, who portrays sinister groomer in the ITV soap, hailed his former screen mother in the film Housewife, 49.
Chris starred as Victoria’s son Cliff Last in the drama with Shameless’ David Threlfall playing his father.
He made the comments at a recent screening, telling press including Express.co.uk: “I played their son. It was amazing, she's a massive loss. She was incredible, she was an absolutely workaholic and an amazing brain.
“I came to it thinking she was just gonna be really good fun but that was just one tenth of her talent.”
Chris is currently playing a particularly dark role as Nathan in Coronation Street and he admitted it was “the weirdest thing” to be approached in the street by members of the public at least once or twice a day.
Luckily, the actor said it was all positive, adding: “Just by people who wanna be nice to me and go, 'You're him’.”
Coronation Street star Christopher Harper has paid tribute to Victoria Wood
Christopher Harper is playing the sinister Nathan in Coronation Street
It was amazing, she's a massive loss
However, the role of Nathan looks set to be coming to an end soon after Chris hinted that his evil alter-ego would not “hang around” on the cobbles after grooming schoolgirl Bethany Platt (played by Lucy Fallon) as part of a bigger sex ring plot.
The soap star explained: “He's not gonna hang around,” he confirmed. “It's right I think. I think the message of the story, what we really want is to tell it right. Anyone watching it who fears for themselves or someone else will then know there's somewhere to go.
“There's a very supportive, very loving network of survivors out there who will help you get through it, so for that reason I think it's really important that Nathan doesn't get away with it.”
Bethany Platt is caught up in a dark grooming plot on Coronation Street
The part of Nathan saw Chris to work with the NSPCC to ensure accuracy with the role, which proved to be a challenge to play given the dark subject matter.
He stressed that it was important that justice was done and that he “couldn’t imagine” Nathan having a place on Coronation Street.
Chris added: “It would just be wrong, especially if like later on he got into a nice romance and everyone went, ‘Yeah he used to be a real dodgy bloke but he's nice now.’ No, he's got to go down.”
Coronation Street continues on ITV tomorrow at 7.30pm.