Bruno Langley, 23, best known as Coronation Street's Todd Grimshaw, blames his lack of concentration on getting the acting bug. The young lad, born in Devon but raised in Derbyshire, says that coming from a family of 8 (he has 5 sisters and 2 brothers) who are all musical meant that he was bound to end up performing but although he plays the piano and cello, his lack of concentration forced him into acting.

Bruno is currently nearing the end of a national stage tour - he's playing Geoffrey, a homosexual character, in the revival of Shelagh Delaney's Salford set A Taste of Honey. "I'm not the central character and it's not about him being gay," he says of the role that sees him working alongside former Emmerdale star Samantha Giles (Bernice Blackstock) in the role made famous in the film by Summer Wine star Dora Bryan.

Since quitting Corrie, Bruno has been a very busy boy indeed - playing Adam in two episodes of the BBC revival of Doctor Who, as a young gardener in crime drama Dalziel and Pascoe and appearing in the movie of the hit comedy drama The League of Gentlemen. On stage he's appeared as Romeo to former EastEnders star Scarlett Johnson's Juliet and on the London fringe in Life Imitates Art. Of his appearance as Romeo he says: "I don't read reviews but I think it was okay, I'm not sure, but it was good to do it. I've done a lot of TV and a lot of theatre - but I want to do more film. It was watching films that made me want to act."

Looking back to his days as Todd, a role he landed aged just 17 in 2001, he says: "He wasn't gay first off, as I far as I knew any way. I think the writer who brought us in always knew it, I think, but no one told me. It was a lot to deal with but my family were great and Chris Finch and I got a great deal of support." Asked if he's likely to return to the famous cobbles one day he is straight to the point: "It's nice that the door was left open but it's a definite no!"

© Coronation Street Special Magazine, 19/3/07

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