Coronation Street star Peter Gunn has revealed the reason he could relate to his character’s workplace bullying story – because it has happened to him in real life.
Viewers have watched in disgust, as devoted teacher Brian Packham has been subjected to a nasty campaign of intimidation and cruelty by Bessie Street Primary’s deputy head Phil Gillespie.
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After months of harassment and threats, the uncomfortable plot came to a foul end – literally – when Phil was finally suspended.
Jack Webster became the hero of the hour when he filmed Phil launching into a vile attack on his subordinate Brian.
Little Jack caught the whole thing on camera and posted it online – go Jack!
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Fans rejoiced as Phil got suspended and later thrown out of the Rovers by Brian’s mates.
But whether the bullying storyline has ended remains to be seen.
In an interview with The Mirror, actor Peter has opened up about the disturbing bullying plot and revealed that he was also the subject of something similar during an early acting job.
Remembering the show, in which he starred alongside an unnamed veteran actor, Peter said: “We used to film on a Thursday in a live studio in London. I was a policeman and I got a laugh and I thought ‘brilliant’, but he got it wrong deliberately.
“As we had to set up to go again, he said to me, ‘Don’t ever do that again’.”
Ohhhhh, sour grapes, much?
The 55-year-old Corrie actor said he thought his co-star “didn’t like” that he had got the bigger laugh from the audience and didn’t like having the spotlight stolen from him.
Nothing quite says Christmas like a swinging, vomiting Brian!
Join Peter Gunn and Julia Goulding on location as Coronation Street goes all festive for the Bessie Street Nativity…#Corrie #Nativity #Christmas #Brian pic.twitter.com/flMhIUgRC7
— Coronation Street (@itvcorrie) December 19, 2018
Peter continued: “That was the first time I thought, ‘What was going on there?’ I think that was to do with ego, in a similar way to Phil at Bessie Street.
“It was an early lesson for me. It was a real shock to think, ‘I’m trying my best here and I got a laugh’, he was older and more bitter.
“I was keen as mustard, I thought it was brilliant. I really loved the programme, and him as an actor, and then you get this slap down.”
The incident did not harm Peter’s career in any way, as he went on to star in Hollywood film Hannah Montana: The Movie, opposite Miley Cyrus.
He played mean music journalist Oswald Granger.
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