Coronation Street fans prepare to wave goodbye to a Weatherfield favourite as Alex Bain bows out after 16 years playing Simon Barlow.
Simon says goodbye (Picture: ITV)
Alex reflected on his emotional final scenes, his favourite storylines, and his exciting plans for the future, which involve dance!
“It was incredibly emotional,” Alex admitted, discussing filming his final scenes. “There I was discussing Simon’s mum and dad with Carla whilst my own mum and dad were sitting at a table behind me having a coffee, how surreal!”
He continued, revealing a special moment: “They [parents] are in one of my final scenes. It was a real moment for us all.”
Alex landed the role of Simon at the tender age of six. He recalled his first day: “I was only six. I remember doing the scene with Chris [Gascoyne, who played Peter Barlow], where we are getting out of the taxi. My first word was ‘tired’.”
He also shared a touching memory of the late Anne Kirkbride (Deirdre Barlow): “She was so kind and helpful. She looked at me after the scene and said, ‘You will go far.’ That has always stayed with me.”
While acting on the soap, Alex also nurtured a passion for dance. “My grandparents were dancers and my mum also loved dancing,” he said. “Ballet is probably still my favourite. What I love about dance is the ability to express yourself to any type of music.”
“Leaving Corrie must be freeing you up to spend more time on dance,” the interviewer noted. Alex replied, “Yes, there were a lot of things I couldn’t do. I am currently taking my ballet and modern intermediate exams. Acting goes hand in hand with dancing, though, so hopefully I will be able to continue to do both.”
“The biggest one for me was the domestic violence storyline,” Alex said. “It was incredible to be able to work with Jane [Danson, Leanne Battersby] on that, and I was proud to be able to highlight an issue that not many people talk about.”
He also spoke about the bullying storyline, one he personally connected with: “As someone who was bullied to be able to bring my own experience into the storyline was incredible.”
“Am I going to miss Simon? Yes, I am. We are like two sides of the same coin in a way. I am so pleased that he has a happy ending. I don’t have to grieve for him; I can just imagine him having a great time with his dad.”
Alex revealed a memento from his time as Simon: “I have got his fake leather jacket. It even has ‘Simon’ written on the label inside. I have also taken Simon’s name tag from the mirror in my dressing room. And I have taken his belt. I have got his belt, jacket, his name off the mirror, and lots of amazing memories.”
Coronation Street viewers will see Simon’s final scenes next week as he sets sail for a new chapter with his father Peter.
Coronation Street continues tonight on ITV1 at 7.30pm
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