I’m a Celeb star Simon Gregson says he hated early Coronation Street fame: ‘It was shocking’

Actor has played Steve McDonald on the longrunning ITV soap for more than three decades

Roisin O'Connor
Tuesday 30 November 2021 21:53 GMT
Comments
I'm a Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here! 2021 trailer

Your support helps us to tell the story

This election is still a dead heat, according to most polls. In a fight with such wafer-thin margins, we need reporters on the ground talking to the people Trump and Harris are courting. Your support allows us to keep sending journalists to the story.

The Independent is trusted by 27 million Americans from across the entire political spectrum every month. Unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock you out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. But quality journalism must still be paid for.

Help us keep bring these critical stories to light. Your support makes all the difference.

Coronation Street star Simon Gregson has revealed he hated the early fame he experienced as a young actor on the popular soap.

Gregson is one of Corrie’s longest-serving stars, having played Steve McDonald on the ITV show for more than three decades.

However, in tonight’s (30 November) episode of I’m a Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here, the 47-year-old revealed that he did not enjoy his first experience of the spotlight.

“It was really negative, getting beaten up, spat at,” he told his fellow campmates. “It was shocking.”

Gregson joined Coronation Street in 1989 after auditioning while at school in Stockport. During the Nineties, he regularly made headlines for various traffic offences and problems with drugs and alcohol.

Speaking to The Mirror in 2014, he said: “Me and my mates would get dangerously drunk. We were really stupid. I went completely wild. I’d pay for everyone to stay in hotel suites. I’d go through a bottle of Scotch at 4 or 5am after the pub. I was spending all my salary going out or on cars.

“Sometimes I’d be two hours late for work. Other times I’d not be there at all. I didn’t take it seriously and I didn’t want to be there. I hated being famous. I’m not proud of my behaviour, but getting wasted was a way of forgetting.”

I’m a Celebrity airs each night on ITV at 9pm. See the full list of contestants here.

Join our commenting forum

Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies

Comments

Thank you for registering

Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in