James Burrows made his debut in Coronation Street as Ali Neeson last year, but he is already thinking about “other roles”. The actor was asked about staying in the ITV soap as he confirmed his girlfriend Sophie Coates was pregnant with their first child. The 27-year-old, who has also appeared in the likes of Mount Pleasant, Fresh Meat and Safe House, said he didn’t plan to stay in Corrie “for years”. Speaking to the latest issue of OK! Magazine, he spoken candidly about becoming a dad as well as his current role.
When asked how long he saw him playing Ali for, James hinted that he might not be around for that long.
“I won’t stay for years,” he commented. “There are other roles I’d like to do.”
As well as starring in one of the biggest shows in the UK, the father-to-be has plenty going on in his private lift.
He was told his partner was expecting while filming in Weatherfield at 7.30am, when she dropped him a phone call.
“I was over the moon,” he said, as Sophie stated: “We’d only recently said we’d properly start trying. And a month later we fell pregnant.”
James broke the news to his co-star Kym Marsh before anyone else on the long-running drama, as she herself prepares to be a grandmother.
He said: “She got really excited and gave me a massive hug and said I’d be a great dad.
“I’m so excited to be having a daughter; I can’t wait to meet her now.”
Meanwhile, James and his other half went on to discuss deciding on a name and their plans to get married.
Sophie added: “We discussed baby names on our first date!” He went on: “I’d liked to have got engaged before now.
“I was going to ask Sophie in Australia when we were visiting my family last November but then we found out we were expecting.”
Meanwhile, it comes after his alter ego and Michelle Connor’s (played by Kym Marsh) son Ali returned to the cobbles.
In a major storyline twist, viewers saw the doctor kill Cormac Truman (Joe Mallalieu) once and for all.
Both Michelle and Ryan Connor (Ryan Prescott) were there when Ali decided not to ring the ambulance and save his life.
Read the full story in this week’s OK! Magazine – out today.
Coronation Street continues tonight at 7.30pm on ITV.