Former Corrie star Ian Puleston-Davies reveals why he thinks Owen should go back to Weatherfield and talks about his new role in Vera
Best known for playing Coronation Street's gruff builder, Owen Armstrong, Ian Puleston-Davies quit the cobbles in 2015 when his character headed off to Aberdeen for work and split from Street favourite Anna Windass.
Since then Ian, has rarely been off our screens, starring in a succession of TV hits including National Treasure, Marcella and Tin Star.
This week the 59-year-old, who lives in Chester with his partner Sue and their two children, Maggie,11 and Charlie, six, joins Brenda Blethyn for a new Vera mystery playing the father of a teenage boy who is found drowned in suspicious circumstances.
TV Times caught up with Ian, to hear about the fun he had working with Brenda and why, as Anna faces a prison sentence, he thinks Owen should return to the Corrie cobbles!
Ian Puleston-Davies talks to TV Times...
TV Times : Tell us about your character Sean Dewley in Vera
Ian Puleston-Davies: "He’s separated from his wife Ellie and is a very unassuming guy who keeps himself to himself and works in the local timber yard. He and Ellie have got a teenage son together called Ethan who lives with Sean."
TVT : But then Ethan disappears..
IPD: "Yes, he goes off to college one morning on his bike but doesn’t come back. Four days later Sean reports him missing and then Ethan’s body is discovered in a lake. At first it looks like suicide but when Vera and Aiden investigate, they discover there’s much more to his death than people first assumed."
TVT : What was it like working with Brenda Blethyn?
IPD: "From the moment I saw her in Mike Leigh’s film Secrets and Lies I was a huge fan so when I had the chance to work with her I grabbed it. She’s such a terrific actress. And it was lovely hooking up with Kenny Doughty, (who plays DC Aiden Healey), again. We became friends when he played my son years ago in the black comedy, Funland. Brenda and Kenny have such a great relationship and there was so much love and support on set I wanted to stay for more!"
TVT : Did you enjoy filming in Northumberland?
IPD: "It’s become one of my favourite parts of the country. A few years ago I filmed the series Beowulf there but before that I’d not ventured much further than Newcastle. It’s fantastically wild and remote and I loved going back and visiting some of my old Beowulf haunts."
TVT: Meanwhile in Corrie it's all been happening for Anna...
IPD: "I know! Debbie Rush who plays Anna still blames me for leaving and breaking up the family! She loves switching into Anna mode and giving me a good telling off. We became great mates and had such a laugh filming together."
TVT: If Owen was still there do you think he would have sorted out Phelan?
IPD: "Oh yes! People are always asking me when I’m going to go back in and finish him off. I would have liked the two of them to have had a final showdown on the cobbles, a High Noon encounter! Owen needs to come down from Aberdeen and sort him out once and for all. It could still happen!"
TVT: Was it daunting leaving Corrie?
IPD: "Definitely. It’s a huge step into the unknown because you’ve had this fantastic reliable job and wonderful family and you’re leaving it all behind. I’m wishing Debbie all the best. It’s a courageous move to make but I’m really excited for her too."
TVT: What’s next for you?
IPD: "I’m going to Canada soon for six months to film the second series of Tin Star with Tim Roth. We film in the Rockies and it’s stunning and such an exciting thing to be part of, but I get very homesick and I’ll miss my family like mad. Apparently it’s minus 30 degrees there right now. I need to go to M & S and stock up on thermals!"
See Ian in Vera, ITV, Sunday Jan 28th, 8pm
Corrie pics: ITV/REX/Shutterstock
