Ex-Coronation Street star Gray O’Brien, who played notorious villain Tony Gordon, has revealed that he turns to clairvoyants in times of crisis.
And he credits one with helping him come to terms with the grief he was feeling following the death of his beloved mother last year.
Recalling his first experience with mediums, he said: “I originally went along for no particular reason, and was very sceptical.
“But I couldn’t understand how stuff was happening when I was there – certain candles going out, things she knew and I couldn’t see how. It really opened my eyes.
When he was struggling with the loss of his mother, he visited the same visionary.
“We developed a good relationship and talk regularly. She passes on bits and pieces, and sends me reiki to re-energise me if I am tired.
“When I lost Mum last year I found it very difficult to let go, as I was so close to her. The medium told me how to deal with it. It is difficult to talk about, but I believe in it very much.
“The medium told me I could move on now, she told me I could leave Scotland, so I am.”
Gray, who is currently starring in ITV drama The Loch, also revealed in an interview with the Mirror, that he struggled after leaving his role in Corrie.
“I became stigmatised for playing this dark, dry villain. It made life tricky after as I was so synonymous with that character.
“I didn’t find it difficult to play the bad guy. Maybe we all have that side of our characters we can’t show in real life, and those roles give you free rein to let that go!
“The irony is that, before Corrie, my roles always saw me playing the nice family guy, so it was Corrie that was the real departure.
“But then Tony became the role that people associated me with and it was difficult.”
The Scottish actor became the most-hated villain in soap, as Tony Gordon went from suave businessman to psychotic killer, whose rampage concluded in him torching the factory with his wife Carla inside.