TV

Coronation Street’s Antony Cotton drops news about secret project

What does this mean for Sean?

Corrie star Antony Cotton has revealed a secret new project he’s been working on with an influential TV friend but what will it mean for his soap character Sean?

Antony published a picture of his computer screen on Instagram with a document enBBtitled Straight Lines on it.

Underneath, he wrote: “‪I’ve kept this secret up til now, but I’ve been writing this with @nicolaishindler & @redproductionco. I’m very proud of it. Watch this space..”

Corrie fans will certainly be watching this space, in fear of losing one of their most beloved characters.

There were no hints though, that Antony is considering leaving the cobbles behind after 14 years on the show.

He’s become a firm favourite after joining the soap in 2003.

But he first captured fans’ attention in the risqué and frisky, ground-breaking gay drama, Queer As Folk, which Nicola Schindler also produced back in 1999.

Since then, he’s tried various projects on the side, whilst playing Sean Tully on Corrie.

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He won Soapstar Superstar in 2007 but not everything has gone quite so well.

In the same year, he got his very own ITV comedy and chat show, called – funnily enough – That Anthony Cotton Show.

It bombed. Critics were unimpressed when a pilot was leaked, accusing producers and Antony of copying the Paul O’Grady show, which went before it.

After pulling in an impressive 2 million viewers for the first episode, numbers halved with fewer than 1.1 million people tuning in by the time the series came to an end.

It was rumoured a second series had been commissioned and producers were talking about shaking the format up to try and help Antony win people over but TV bosses decided it was a dead loss and canned the programme altogether.

Ten years on and Antony hasn’t had another chance to show off his presenting skills so this latest project is very intriguing.

By the looks of it, he’s been writing a script for a TV sitcom of some sort and, with the title, maybe it’ll be drawing on his experience as a gay actor?

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Celebrity friend, Louie Spence is already trying to bag a part, commenting underneath the Instagram post: “Go GUuuuurrrrllll, is there a part for someone in a crop top & cowboy boots 😂”

It doesn’t look like Antony has responded to that particular casting request just yet.

Other fans were just as excited. One wrote: “Congratulations! Well done. I look forward to seeing it.”

Us too, he’s got us intrigued!


Christian Guiltenane
Freelance Writer