Gary Windass (Mikey North)

[Perdita]

Mikey North has revealed that he will find it difficult to say goodbye to his on-screen father Steve Huison.

North, who plays Gary Windass, said that he is "devastated" to see Huison depart as Eddie Windass.

He told Holy Soap: "I am so gutted to see him go because your parents on screen do become like real parents in a way.

"Being at work so often you spend more time with them than you do your real folks sometimes."

North also explained that he is certain his co-star will continue to be successful.

He added: "I am devastated he's going but he's such a good actor I'm sure he'll go on to other things. Debbie [Rush, who plays Anna Windass] and I will certainly miss him."

DS

[alan45]

Looks like Gary gets cashiered

[alan45]

HE burst onto our screens two years ago as Weatherfield’s cockiest kick-off merchant, Gary Windass.
And by lying, cheating and brawling his way across the cobbles, he quickly became Coronation Street’s baddest boy.
But now the tearaway-turned-soldier is showing his softer side as he struggles to come to terms with the tragic death of his army pal, Quinny, killed by a roadside bomb in Afghanistan.
For actor Mikey North it’s opened his eyes to the courage and suffering of our troops fighting the war every day.
The 24-year-old spent time with real veterans to research his role and reveals: “They’ve been kind enough to share their experiences with me.
“Some of the stories I’ve heard have been so moving. Gary is the only soldier in a soap at the moment and it’s an absolute honour to play him.”
Even when soldiers leave the frontline, Mikey says they are often haunted by their traumatic experiences.
He recalls: “One guy came back and thought that he was fine until he was walking down the street and a car backfired. He jumped behind a wall and got ready to shoot.
“The scary thing is there’s no time limit on it so you can come home and think you’re OK then ‘bang’ – you feel like you’re losing your mind.
“They use drink and drugs to cope, they’re drinking to numb the pain, and a lot of people get involved in crime and even end up in prison.”
Unsurprisingly, Mikey says he doesn’t fancy a career swap.
He says: “I’m too much of a wimp to think about going in the army – that’s why I’ve got so much respect for everything these guys do on our behalf.
HORROR
“It’s important to highlight what they’re going through.”
Mikey has just finished filming a series of special video diaries which detail the horror of what really happened to Gary during his time in Afghanistan.
Viewers have already seen his character struggling to cope after Quinny’s untimely death, and this week he ends up in prison after beating up a police officer while on a night out.
Mikey explains: “This is just the start of things going badly wrong. Gary is ill and, at the moment, we’re seeing the symptoms and not the cause.
“The video diaries will explain exactly why he’s behaving like this – they’ll fill in the gaps for people about what actually happened in Afghanistan and create some understanding of what he’s been through.”
Filming the diaries, which will be shown on ITV2, was physically exhausting as well as being emotionally draining for Mikey.
He recalls: “We managed to make a quarry in Bolton look just like Afghanistan. It was a bit of soap magic.
“But it was the coldest I’ve ever been in my life, even with all the thermals and army gear on. It was meant to be a 40C desert and it couldn’t have been more freezing.”
The videos make harrowing viewing – and the soldier storyline has struck a chord with real victims.
“I’ve had lots of letters from blokes who are going through exactly the same thing,” says Mikey.
“I still don’t know just how bad things are going to get for Gary but I do know that this isn’t uncommon.”
Mikey admits that he sometimes finds it hard to unwind after coming home from a day’s filming. “I do subconsciously take my work home with me and you have to make sure you switch off – but that’s all part of the job,” he says.
Helping him relax is his new 21-year-old student girlfriend, Katy, who he met on a night out in Manchester last year. He says: “I’m dead happy. It sounds corny but we just had that spark.
“I’m not sure who spoke to who but I know I was the one following her around all night like a puppy dog. And she is pretty fit, which helps!”
He claims that Katy, who is training to be an illustrator, has tamed his wilder side and the couple prefer cosy evenings in to nights out on the town.
“I’ve done my fair share of partying,” he says. “When I was 18 I was out every night but those days are behind me now. I’ve definitely mellowed. I’m not quite ready for my pipe and slippers but I’m getting older.”
But despite being all loved-up, Mikey says that the pair aren’t in any rush to get hitched.
“Er, no, we’ve not got to that yet,” he says. “Give me a chance – it’s only been a few months!”
At the moment, Mikey is renting a trendy city centre flat – “seven seconds from work” – after leaving his native Scarborough last year.
The town was the scene of an horrific attack that left him with a double broken jaw and two black eyes.
His then girlfriend’s ex, Stuart Stocks, was sentenced to 300 hours’ community service and fined £2,500 for the unprovoked assault in 2009 and Mikey is clearly keen to put the terrifying incident behind him.
He says: “I’ve moved away from all that – it’s forgotten about now.”
Now his only problem is being recognised by hordes of Corrie fans. And while some actors revel in the attention, he finds it hard work.
“I’ve been in the show for two-and-a-half years now and it’s changed my life in every way possible,” he says.
“There are lots of positives to being in the public eye but there are also more downsides.
“I always said my job wouldn’t change me or stop me from doing anything but it has. Nothing prepares you for how mad it is. You are aware you’re being watched and scrutinised so you have to be careful – you can’t go wild with your mates.
“Now I like going to all the student places with Katy – that’s much more my scene rather than the red carpet.
“I hate that side of the job because I don’t do the whole celebrity thing.
“Don’t get me wrong, I feel very lucky to be doing what I do but I’d love to be able to go back to my old life for one night, just for the night out!
“I’m good mates with Stephen Bell who played Quinny but the last time we were out someone shouted, ‘Oi, aren’t you meant to be dead?’
“The most unusual place someone’s spotted me was on the beach in Dubai which was all a bit surreal.
“And I swore that I’d never answer to Gary but it’s started happening!”
Despite the negative side of celebrity, Mikey feels very much at home within the Coronation Street team.
“I feel very settled now,” he says. “You don’t realise how big the show is until you’re a part of it and joining the cast was daunting.
“Getting the job was amazing but I was worried what people would think when I first started – I didn’t know if people would want to have a pop at me but everyone was fine.
“Luckily, I hit David Platt so people were quite chuffed!
“Acting is such an insecure profession – I wouldn’t advise anyone to try it – so I feel really lucky and as long as these great storylines keep coming, I can’t see any reason to leave anytime soon.
“I’m the happiest I’ve ever been. Everything is going so well at the moment – work and home, it’s all good.
“The storyline is such a sensitive one and I’ve been determined to do it justice from the start.
“It’s been great seeing Gary grow – he’s changed from being a little ******* to someone a lot more complex.”
3 Coronation Street, ITV1, Mondays, Thursdays and Fridays. Gary’s Army Diaries, ITV2, Monday, January 31 at 10pm.


Read more: http://www.mirror.co.uk/celebs/news/...#ixzz1BRTqZAj7

[WolvoExPunk]

When I was in the Army, I knew quite a few lads with rough backgrounds. Football hooligans, bikers, skinheads, punks etc. Even one or two ex-jailbirds. The Army channelled their aggression in a positive way.

[lizann]

Coronation Street star Mikey North has predicted a return to Gary Windass's criminal ways when he's discharged from the Army.

Gary, who is suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder, is booted out after he is arrested while on a night out with David Platt.

The loss of his job, plus the arrival of foster sister Faye into his family, will put a strain on the lad, said Mikey.

"Now he's left without a job and has a little sister who will be taking over the house, I can see his struggles continuing for a while and I'm sure we've not seen the end of his criminal activity just yet."

For his part, the actor is hoping to get stuck into some naughty antics on screen once more.

"I'd like him to stay off the rails for a bit and maybe go back to the bad boy ways he had when he first joined the show. I like seeing what trouble he can get into.

"I like playing the bad boy and doing things you wouldn't necessarily be able to do in real life."

ITV2 is to air a special programme, Gary's Army Diaries, on Monday January 31, which follows Gary and pal Quinny's time in Afghanistan. It follows the success of three five-minute specials on itv.com.

[Chloe O'brien]

I wasn't all that keen on the Windass's when they first joined the street. They were a bit of a slow burner, but since Gary joined the army theyre becoming one of the better families in soapland. I thought Eddie was going to be another common loudmouth like Les Battersby, but despite his dirty vest and messy hair, he has a heart of gold and cares deeply for his family. Come on Corrie don't axe Eddie.

[alan45]

Interview with Mikey North on DS

Coronation Street's Gary Windass recently took centre stage in his own online spinoff show Gary's Army Diaries, which focused on the young soldier's traumatic time in Afghanistan and the story of Quinny's tragic death. Following a strong response from the internet audience, Army Diaries has now landed an ITV2 slot and will air as a 30-minute special featuring some extra scenes. DS recently chatted to Mikey North, who plays Gary, to hear about the programme.

How would you describe Gary's Army Diaries to someone who hadn't yet seen or heard about it?
"Basically, Gary and Quinny recorded their time in Afghanistan on a little handheld camcorder, so we see that footage and it runs in parallel to the main show. It gives a big insight into what happened in Afghanistan and Gary and Quinny's relationship."

How did you feel about getting your own spinoff show?
"Having Corrie taking so much time over a little spinoff has never been done before, so to be the first to do it is a real privilege. I just hope that we've done it justice and it paves the way for more exclusive content."

Gary's Army Diaries was filmed in the UK but looks very realistic in terms of showing us Afghanistan. How did the team make it look so real?
"It was filmed at a quarry in Bolton - and it was absolutely freezing, actually, so pretending to be in 40 degree heat was a bit difficult! (Laughs) But we just had good guys shooting it, really, and they've put a lot of effects in at the post-production stage. I think it does look fairly realistic - you watch it and you believe that we were there. I think that the technical director has done a really good job with that."


There's been quite a few people asking whether it was filmed in Afghanistan, which proves that!
"Definitely, yeah! There's been a lot of good feedback - people think that we actually went over there! That's really good considering that we only shot it over a couple of days and on quite a low budget. We've done really well with that, I think."

Gary's army storyline has been very well-researched, but did you have to do any particular research for the Army Diaries scenes?
"With the spinoff, it was more a case of taking advice on set, and we just had to trust the director and the producers and what they wanted. Obviously we were trying to portray what it's like in the barracks, so the writer - Damon Rochefort - took a lot of advice on what it would be like to be over there and what would be realistic. I think Damon looked into that more than we did, but I did my own research for the main show and that definitely helped for the spinoff."

You had to portray quite a wide range of emotions in Army Diaries - was that challenging?
"It was a challenge, but it was really good as well - getting to show that wide range of emotions was great. You do see the lads having a laugh, so when Quinny does die, that only adds to the heartbreak. It was definitely nice to show those different emotions over quite a short period of time. Gary's Army Diaries was shown in three parts online, and I thought each episode was quite different, which was nice - it wasn't 'same old, same old' every episode."

Do you have a favourite scene from the series?
"Watching it back afterwards, I laughed when Gary smacked Quinny with the towel and he starts crying in the bed! I love that bit, along with the bit where they have to strip while playing pool. The pool bit makes me laugh because me and Steve, who plays Quinny, are quite good friends in real life and we play a bit of pool together. The writer knew this, and he put in that I got beat, which was nice of him! (Laughs)"


Were you pleased with the reaction that Army Diaries had when it aired online last year?
"Yeah, definitely! It had so many hits - I think how popular it's been took everyone by surprise. It's really nice that they're now transferring it over to ITV2. I think it's a lot different from the main show - it looks and feels a bit different to Corrie, and people believed that we actually were in Afghanistan, so hopefully all that will draw in the viewers. We're all really proud of it."

For those of us who've already seen Army Diaries online, is it still worth us watching the ITV2 version?
"Definitely! We're going to add some additional scenes to it and extend it into one show. There'll be a lot of additional content to make it into a half-hour show. Those extra scenes will be between me and Izzy - you'll see us in Izzy's flat together."

Corrie has been providing a lot of this additional online content recently, and there's more on the way with the Ken and Deirdre spinoff. Do you think it's nice that they're providing all of these extras for the fans?
"Yeah, I think it's the way forward. I think things will move online a lot more now, and over the next ten years you'll see a lot more of this content. It's great that Corrie is keeping up with that, pioneering it and doing it on a regular basis. I think it'll really take off!"

Have you enjoyed the opportunity to show a different side to Gary in the past few months?
"Definitely - he came into the show as a bit of a rogue and a bad boy, but now he's grown up a lot and I'm getting to show a much more mature side of him. He's turned into a man, really. It's nice getting to play a wide range of emotions and that's definitely what's happened with Gary over the recent months."

You have the post-traumatic stress storyline at the moment - will that be a long-running storyline or is it close to an end?
"I think it'll run and run. Also, the thing with post-traumatic stress is that it can return at any time - so I think this is something that will affect Gary for the next year at least. It's a nice storyline, as it makes a person really unpredictable, so Gary could be up to all sorts! I'm looking forward to portraying that."


What kind of feedback have you had for the army storyline in general?
"It's been fantastic. I've had guys from quite high up in the army contacting me to thank me for the work that I've done on the storyline and for portraying it in the way that I have, which is really nice. That's a big relief for me, because obviously you want to keep it realistic when it's such a current issue. One guy even came up to me in the street and said that he'd joined up for the army because he'd been inspired by Gary and he saw it as a way to do something with his life. That's a massive compliment for me."

Is there any particular impact that you've wanted the army storyline to have?
"I've just really wanted to raise awareness of how dangerous going to Afghanistan can be and how it can affect people - not only physically but mentally as well. I've also wanted to show how the mental impact can be just as bad as the physical injuries, if not worse. I just hope that it makes people more aware and even more proud of the guys who are out there doing it. It's definitely made me more aware of how brave these guys are, and I've got so much respect for them after doing the storyline."


While Gary was in Afghanistan, you had to spend a long while off screen for the story to be realistic. Was that the main downside of the plotline?
"Oh, definitely! I hated it, and like you say, it was the main downside because I didn't like being off work! It was a bit of a tough time, but I just clung to the fact that the storyline would get to the point where I could come back and feature on the street again. That was always the light at the end of the tunnel, but it was difficult being off. It sounds daft as for most people it would be nice to be off and sit at home all day, but I hate that - I'd much rather be at work!"

On a lighter note, do you think Gary's current love interest Izzy is the best match for him?
"Yeah - I think Izzy really keeps his feet on the ground and tells it like it is, which is what Gary really needs at the moment. He doesn't need people feeling sorry for him because he feels sorry enough for himself. She definitely has a good influence on him and clearly makes him happy. I think it's quite an interesting character match-up."

Could there be more tension on the way between Gary and Owen?
"Yeah, which is brilliant, because I love working with Ian Puleston-Davies. We have such a good laugh and he's such a great actor - I think he's one of the best actors that I've worked with. Hopefully I'll get to do more stuff with him - it'd be great, because he's so good."


There's been a few Corrie departures announced recently - including Steve Huison, who plays Gary's dad Eddie. Are you sad to see people leaving the Street?
"Yeah, absolutely, because you get to spend so much time with these people and then when they leave, it can be tough. Especially with Steve, because I work with him every day and he's such a good guy to have around - he's very, very popular at work. We're definitely all sad to be saying goodbye to anyone. But now Gary is going to be left without a dad on the street, so we'll have to see what happens - I'm looking forward to seeing what they've got in mind. But I'm going to miss Steve a lot."

Finally, there's been a lot of support for you, your performances and the storyline lately - especially on our forum! Is there anything you'd like to say to your fans?
"Just a thank you for all the nice things that they're saying! I just hope that I'm keeping it real. That's what I'm always trying to do - trying to make the performances believable. If I can portray the storyline well then that's all I can ever wish for. It's nice that people appreciate that and I'll carry on trying my best to make some good TV!"

[alan45]

oronation Street star Mikey North has confirmed that Gary Windass will continue to be affected by his Afghanistan ordeal for the rest of the year.

In recent months, the actor's alter ego has been suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder after witnessing his best friend Quinny die during a tour of duty in the troubled country.

As the storyline has progressed, fans have seen signs that Gary is psychologically scarred by the experience as he has appeared increasingly distant and has suffered frightening flashbacks to his time in Afghanistan.

Speaking to Digital Spy about the hard-hitting plot, North explained: "I think it'll run and run. Also, the thing with post-traumatic stress is that it can return at any time - so I think this is something that will affect Gary for the next year at least.

"It's a nice storyline, as it makes a person really unpredictable, so Gary could be up to all sorts! I'm looking forward to portraying that."

Meanwhile, discussing the reaction to his recent scenes, he added: "It's been fantastic. I've had guys from quite high up in the army contacting me to thank me for the work that I've done on the storyline and for portraying it in the way that I have, which is really nice. That's a big relief for me, because obviously you want to keep it realistic when it's such a current issue."

[inkyskin]

he's been binned from the army, so how is this going to work out now?

[alan45]

Anna Windass (Debbie Rush) stops Gary Windass (Mikey North) from hitting Owen Armstrong (Ian Puleston-Davies) for daring to question whether he should move in with his daughter...