Joe Layton, who joined Coronation Street earlier this year as Mick Michaelis, has shared the advice he got from fellow actors before starting on the ITV soap.
Mick and his wife Lou (Farrel Hegarty) quickly gained a reputation as troublesome neighbours, stirring up drama in Weatherfield.
They clashed with residents such as Maria Connor (Samia Longchambon) and Ronnie Bailey (Vinta Morgan), and Mick even revealed a violent streak when he attacked Sean Tully (Anthony Cotton).
The conflict escalated when Mick found out that Sean had reported his son Brody (Ryan Mulvey) for bullying Dylan Wilson (Liam McCheyne) at school.
It was recently revealed that Mick and corrupt police officer Kit Green (Jacob Roberts) were childhood friends, but Mick took the blame for a crime Kit committed as a teenager, according to Leicestershire Live.
Although they arrived just a few months ago, it’s been confirmed that both Mick and Lou will be leaving Coronation Street this summer after a dramatic storyline.
Looking back on his experience, Joe called working on Coronation Street a “real gift” and shared the caution his fellow actors gave him before joining the show.
Speaking to Leicester Live, Joe opened up about his role as Mick in Coronation Street, saying, “For me, having the chance to join Corrie for six months with a clear beginning and end has been a real gift.”
He explained how this differed from typical soap contracts: “Usually, actors sign year-long deals or six months with the possibility of extension, getting scripts as they go and figuring out where they fit in. For me, it was a gift to know exactly when I start and finish.”
Joe added that early talks with the producer gave him a clear picture of his role: “I had a Zoom call with Kate Brooks, the producer, who explained everything to me. My first thought was, ‘How are we going to fit all that into six months?’ But once I started working on Corrie, I realized how quickly the storylines move.”
Joe also revealed that friends in the industry warned him about the fast pace on set. He admitted, “I have friends who work in soaps, and they all said the pace is really intense, and you learn a lot.”
He spoke about his dedication to acting, saying, “I graduated as an actor 10 or 12 years ago, and I’ve always wanted to keep learning and improving. Getting the chance to challenge myself on Coronation Street—you only get one shot at that!”