Roy Hudd, 83, made a surprising decision to decline becoming a permanent character when Coronation Street bosses suggested it, he has said. The comedian turned actor first arrived on the cobbles as Archie Shuttleworth in 2002 and made his final on-screen appearance in 2010. In an exclusive interview with Express.co.uk, Roy admitted he “thought he had a job for life” on the ITV soap, but revealed he was hesitant about playing one character for the rest of his career. The star explained: “I loved it and I really thought I had a job for life.
“Even though I came out of it and I said, ‘Look, don’t make me a permanent character because I have lots of things I want to do, not just play one character for the rest of my career’ because that’s what they were planning to do and I said no because they wouldn’t let you do anything else at this particular time.”
Recalling his conversation with producers, he added: “I said, ‘I’m a comic, I want to be in front of an audience again.’
“‘I can’t be doing with it, standing on your mark and doing all that television. I came into it to hear the audience laugh.’
“So they said, ‘We had all these ideas for you but I said, ‘No, I’m sorry I’ll have to go and they said, ‘You will come back won’t you?’”
Reaching a compromise, the small-screen star continued: “So I used to keep coming back whenever anyone died because I was the undertaker, so I thought I’ve got a job forever here.”
However, Roy’s role on the soap came to an unexpected end when Archie was killed off off-screen and left his inheritance to his good friend Audrey Roberts.
“In the end he went on a long holiday abroad and he died and left all his money to Audrey and I was never seen again,” the veteran comic divulged.
When quizzed about whether he would have wanted a dramatic on-screen death for Archie, he explained: “I didn’t want that but the thing was that I was very sad because it was a great team to be part of.
“They were terrific people, everyone who produced the show were marvellous.
“I love Coronation Street. It had that perfect balance of real drama and laughs.
“The characters were so beautifully drawn.”
Roy is continuing to pursue his love of acting by embarking on a touring production of A Woman of No Importance this year.
The star will be playing the Archdeacon in the play alongside actress Liza Goddard, 69, and admitted he is “learning a lot” during rehearsals.
He said: “I’m delighted to be with such a stellar cast and you never stop learning.
“I’m already learning lots of different things from very good actors and a very good director.
“I love to watch good actors getting a part under their belt so I enjoy watching rehearsals even if I’m not in it.”
Roy appears in A Woman of No Importance which runs at the Everyman Cheltenham from 5th – 14 Sept and then tours the UK until November.
Tickets are available here: http://www.classicspring.co.uk/show/uktour