Actor Bruno Langley, 24, on his character Todd treading the Coronation Street cobbles once again, being a new dad, loving the limelight, and doing his bit for the gay fraternity.

So you're back in Corrie as Todd. How did you feel when you got the call?
Bruno Langley: Well, erm, the producer sent me an email actually. They'd asked me to go back a couple of times before and it had never worked out, but this time I wasn't doing anything and I live just down the road from the studios, so I thought Well, I can go back and see everyone, can't I?'

Was it scary to be back on The Street after three years away?
BL: Yeah, it was strange – you go, you have a leaving party, then you come back and it's like What the hell?' Still, they hadn't spent loads of money on champagne at my party – I paid for it, so that's alright.

Have things changed?
BL: The crew are still the same, but a lot of the cast has changed. All the old codgers are still there, of course. Everyone remembered my name and who I was, so that was nice, and, after the first two days, I slotted right back in. It was brilliant to see everyone, especially Sue Cleaver (Eileen Grimshaw), Ryan Thomas (Jason Grimshaw) and Tina O'Brien (Sarah Platt and Bruno's ex-girlfriend, who now dates Ryan). It was great to work with them again – we're all friends now.

You provided an iconic moment in soap when Todd had Corrie's first-ever gay kiss. That's a good one for the CV…
BL: Yeah, but everyone's forgotten about that now. Antony Cotton's stolen my thunder, hasn't he?! I don't mind, though. I'm proud of that moment with Nick Tilsley (played by Adam Rickitt). I had so many letters from young guys, it made it all worthwhile and hopefully helped them.

Do you wish you were back on the cobbles for good?
BL: I'll be on-screen for about a month, which is a good amount of time. I like things to have a beginning, a middle and an end, otherwise I can't get to grips with them. I miss having a laugh on set, but I left the last time because it got stagnant. If you're a popular character, you can stay at Corrie forever and have a nice big house, but I was never really interested in staying there for years. I like not having the security. Although I've got a son now, so that might have to change. I've got to do some work – it's not all about me any more, is it?

You've been busy becoming a daddy since you left…
BL: Yep, Freddie is five months now. Me and my girlfriend Victoria are doing well as parents. We're very relaxed, so that's good for baby, not to be fretting. I've been watching that Bringing Up Baby on TV. I'm all for the strict 1950s approach.

What would you do if you weren't an actor?
BL: I don't know if I can do anything else. I'm into music, but that doesn't pay the bills, does it? I'd probably pick chewing gum off the streets or something.

What's the worst job you've ever done?
BL: When I was about 15, I worked on a crepe stall for the weekend at a village fete and it was just horrible. It was the hottest day since records began or something, and I was just sweating so much and burning the crepes and the customers were getting cross. After that I called my mum and actually cried.

What's the weirdest fan mail you've ever received?
BL: I get invited to a lot of people's birthday parties in Surrey and things, but the oddest was a letter from a man asking me what type of boots I wear. He said he wanted to enquire about what sort of socks I wore with my boots. I don't even have any boots. I think he might have had a foot fetish. I knew it was going to be strange from the loopy writing.

Who was your first ever crush?
BL: Alicia Silverstone in Clueless. After that, I was obsessed with Emma Thompson. I wrote her name on my bedroom wall in biro. How weird is that? She must have been about 40 at the time. I still hold a bit of a torch for her now.

What's your worst personality trait?
BL: I can be quite annoying. I grew up with five sisters and I just wanted to annoy them all the time. I think I was trying to grab attention, which was quite hard in our house. I reckon that's why I became an actor – to get attention from my parents.

If you were invisible for a day, what would you do?
BL: I think I'd go to the zoo and hang out with the lions and tigers. Do you still smell if you're invisible, though? That'd really mess with their heads.

Who would you most like to be stuck in a lift with?
BL: Jack Nicholson. He's the man, isn't he?

When was the last time you cried?
BL: Probably at a film. I'm a bit of a wuss like that. I didn't cry when I became a Dad – I was way too happy to cry.

Whose is the most famous number in your mobile phone?
BL: Rik Waller. We have lunch together, but I don't get to eat much. Am I joking? No, really, I just love his music. Honestly.

What's the most romantic thing you've ever done?
BL: When I was at school I used to write poetry and send girls chocolates all the time. One day, a girl had been dumped by her boyfriend, so I wrapped up some chocolates for her, and when we were sat in assembly, I got them passed forward to her. But she sent them back saying she didn't want them. I was gutted. I didn't cry, though – I was saving that up for the incident on the crepe stall. I was a romantic, sensitive soul when I was a kid. The world has hardened me up since then.

Bruno's reality check

When was the last time you used public transport?
Does that include taxis? OK, I went on the tube in London a couple of weeks ago. I don't get hassled there so much, because everyone is too cool and busy to bother you. I manage to be a bit more anonymous now I'm not on screen all the time, and I'm usually all hunched up and wearing a baseball hat.

Ever worn a disguise?
No, but I've thought about it. I was going to go for a ginger beard and a trucker hat.

What was the last domesticated thing you did?
I changed a lightbulb in the bathroom. I do stuff around the house all the time.

Can you cook?
I'm really good at Thai green curry. I like working with ingredients like ginger, coriander and lime. Listen to me, 'I like working with...' How poncy.

Do you change nappies?
Yes. I have to hold my breath, though. I can look at the poo, I just can't smell the poo.

© Celebs On Sunday Magazine, 21/10/07

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