In upcoming Corrie scenes, Idris reveals to Daniel that he is one of the buyers.. and things spiral.
Daniel has always had that dangerous edge when he’s backed into a corner – from Ken’s attack years ago to pushing Max Turner down the stairs. How would you describe his mental state going into this week?
Not stable. He’s suffered quite a few hard knocks over the last two years: two failed relationships and the public shaming of being associated with Megan. That kind of loss in status drives panic and it pushes you toward behaviours that lead you further down that path. He’s definitely not making clear-eyed decisions right now.
Alya mentioned recently that Daniel seems permanently angry at the world. Is his outrage purely about saving the school playing field, or has that just become an outlet for something deeper unravelling?
It’s definitely an outlet for deeper psychological issues. He feels like a fool, and he feels insignificant. He’s desperate to do something positive that he can point to so he can move forward – especially at the school, considering what a terrible year it was for him once everything with Megan came out. He’s trying to rebrand himself. It’s not that he’s suddenly turned into a passionate environmentalist; it’s become a personal benchmark to prove his worth. And then Adam goes and messes it all up.
Daniel had a long stretch as the mild-mannered academic, but recently we’ve seen him get physical with Adam multiple times. As an actor, which side of Daniel do you prefer playing?
Oh, I definitely prefer the darker side of Daniel! That’s how he was when I first joined the show during those first eighteen months to two years. Once he got together with Sinead, she settled him down, and then with Daisy, he turned into a bit of a “golden retriever” boyfriend. But I think that phase is behind him now. He’s had his fingers burned too many times. He doesn’t have the patience anymore, and he’s very quick to anger.
His upcoming scene with Alya turns shockingly inappropriate very quickly. What drives Daniel across that line, especially when telling her that Adam doesn’t deserve her?
It’s definitely pain, and a desperate desire to get Adam back for betraying him. Adam represented Megan in court, which Daniel perceived as taking her side against him, and then he clashes with Daniel again over the school. Daniel feels he needs to exact a pound of flesh. He’s actively trying to blow up Adam’s life as much as possible. It’s not premeditated – it literally just occurs to him in the heat of the moment.
How does Daniel react in the immediate aftermath when the reality of what he’s done sets in? Is there satisfaction, or immediate regret?
At first, I think he’s almost slightly amused by how ridiculous it is, simply because it’s so wildly out of character for him. But immediately after that, it turns to regret. He’s not fundamentally like that. He might be quick to lose his temper, but he isn’t a disloyal person at heart.
Is there something specific about Adam that triggers Daniel so easily, beyond the accumulated legal betrayals?
Yes. In many ways, Adam operates as a sort of substitute father figure. He’s always on hand trying to clean up the mess. For any grown man to have another grown man constantly managing his life, it becomes completely overbearing to the point where you just want to throw them off.
You’ve filmed a couple of fight scenes with Sam Robertson recently. What are those like to shoot?
Really good fun. Always good fun, mainly because we don’t get to do much physical stuff – my work is often mostly talking heads. Anything physical is a welcome change of pace, and Sam and I always have a great time working together. I love it.
If Adam discovers what Daniel said to Alya, can the brothers come back from this?
Yeah, I think ultimately, deep down, they are loyal to each other. That said, I wouldn’t be surprised if it sets off a prolonged chain of tit-for-tat retaliation that ends up escalating into something much bigger.
Catch up on ITVX, and for classic visits to Corrie, these episodes air weekdays on ITV3 as well as on YouTube. Corrie airs at 8.30pm on ITV1