Andy Whyment plans to stay on Coronation Street forever.
The 38-year-old actor has played Kirk Sutherland on the ITV soap since 2000 and he wants to stay in Weatherfield for as long as he can because he is such a big fan of the programme and loves being part of it.
Speaking on Loose Women on Friday (December 20), Andy said: “I’ve always said I’ll stay there as long as they’ll have me. I love the show and I still watch it as a fan.”
And he is determined to outlast 87-year-old Bill Roache, who has played Ken Barlow since the very first Corrie episode, which aired on 9 December 1960, as the longest-serving male television star in a continuous role.
Andy added: “Bill’s amazing, he still drives himself into work and it’s unbelievable really.”
The former Royle Family star has just returned to the cobbles after being away for six weeks to take part in reality show I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here! on which he eventually finished as runner-up behind jungle queen Jacqueline Jossa.
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But Andy insists the soap opera is his “number one priority” after being a part of the programme for 19 years.
I’ve always said I’ll stay there as long as they’ll have me.
He said: “Coronation Street’s my number one priority – I’ve always said that… I’ve been brought up on Coronation Street all my life.
“I’ve been away for six weeks, and when I went back to work and they lifted the barriers, I was driving in thinking, ‘I’m back home.'”
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He also revealed his secret to enjoying his time on the set after nearly two decades.
Andy remains as one of Corrie’s biggest fans and doesn’t like to ruin the show for himself whilst practising his lines.
He explained: “I don’t read all the scripts. I just learn my parts. Unless there’s a big storyline, I wanna know what happens at the end.”
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