Vicar Billy Mayhew’s past comes back to haunt him when he’s arrested for a robbery that took place years ago, reveals Daniel Brocklebank…
Billy Mayhew is the respectable vicar of St Mary's church, Weatherfield, so why is he suddenly arrested for a crime that happened years ago?
What's the story?
Being a man of the cloth you’d expect that Billy would have lived a relatively sin-free life but it becomes clear there are skeletons in his closet when he’s suddenly arrested for a historic robbery. The police want to know how Billy’s fingerprints came to be on a burnt out car which was used in an armed robbery back in 2001. Actor Daniel Brocklebank told Soaplife how Billy reacts…
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Daniel Brocklebank tells Soaplife about Billy's shock when the police arrest him…
Soaplife: Billy arrested! What’s going on?
Daniel Brocklebank: “The police have connected him to a cold case from 2001 because he was finger-printed when he handed himself in for the Peter thing a few weeks ago – horrified Billy has no idea of this, though, and thinks it must be a mistake.”
SL: What happens at the police station when the police ask Billy questions?
DB: “Todd has sent Adam in to represent Billy. Adam takes him aside and tells him to say nothing so, although this goes against Billy’s moral stance, he keeps his mouth shut.”
SL: What happens later when he is alone with Todd?
DB: “He sits Todd down and speaks about something that he has never spoken about to anyone before.”
SL: Is he worried that social services will find out about his arrest?
DB: “Yes of course. He and Todd are trying to adopt Summer and the poor kid has been through enough so he knows that this potentially could damage their future.”
SL: How much involvement have you had with the development of Billy's character and his past?
DB: “Initially it was conversations with the writers and it came from me saying, 'If you ever write a scene for me with my top off, you are going to have to explain why the vicar has tattoos.' They thought this was really interesting so, a few years ago, when we did get to see him with no top on, there was a line about a past life – Billy’s life before he became a vicar. But when producer Kate Oates arrived she asked me about Billy and I said it would be interesting to know why he entered the church. I’ve known people who have become born again Christians to remove themselves from unpleasant and dark situations so I thought it was a very interesting thing to give a vicar a colourful past.”
SL: What do think the viewers reactions will be to Billy’s confession?
DB: “I am excited but slightly nervous because it does show a completely different side to him. It is not fundamentally changing who heis now, it just means we have more of an idea who Billy was before he became the person he is now. It’s still Billy but just with a lot more information about him.”
