View Full Version : Derek Griffiths joins Coronation Street
Actor and legendary children's TV presenter Derek Griffiths is to join the cast of Coronation Street in the new year.
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Derek Griffiths - Coronation Street - ITV
Derek will play retired mechanic Freddie, a pensioner who strikes up an unlikely friendship with Kylie Platt following the death of his wife, a beauty client of Kylie's.
Derek, 69, will be known to many Corrie viewers as the face of iconic children's series Play School and Play Away during the 60s, 70s and 80s.
He also has an impressive acting CV, working with the RSC for two years, appearing in numerous West End productions (including Miss Saigon and Two Gentlemen of Verona) as well as dozens of TV shows. He has recently finished filming Silent Witness.
Motorbike loving Freddie will ride onto the cobbles in March. Through Kylie he finds new friends and a surrogate community in the Street.
Speaking about joining the soap Derek said:
"I remember being a young boy and watching Violet Carson on Coronation Street. She was a brilliant character that people loved to hate and later when I became an actor and played the villain in panto many times those are qualities I would bring to the role.
"When I came for my audition one of the first things I saw was a huge photo of Violet Carson on the wall. I am very much looking forward to walking in those hallowed footsteps."
Coronation Street Producer Stuart Blackburn said:
"I was utterly delighted when Derek accepted this role and I can not wait to work with him and see him on the cobbles, it really will be a happy new year!"
I remember Derek well from Play School and Play Away. :)
Kylie confesses to him and it all comes out?
Excellent news. I bet he helps move the body.
Derek Griffiths stepped onto the cobbles for his first scenes on Coronation Street on Monday (January 25).
The former children's TV star has joined the ITV soap as retired mechanic Freddie, who strikes up "an unlikely friendship" with Kylie Platt (Paula Lane).
Freddie's introductory storyline sees him left devastated after his wife passes away. He gets to know Kylie as his late partner was one of her beauty clients, and his friendship with her will lead to him finding a "surrogate community" on the Street.
Griffiths will first be seen on Corrie in March and is best known for being the face of Play School and Play Away in the '70s and '80s.
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Derek Griffiths films Coronation Street scenes with Kylie Platt (Paula Lane)
© Rex Shutterstock
"I remember being a young boy and watching Violet Carson on Coronation Street," he commented when talking about his new role in December. "I am very much looking forward to walking in those hallowed footsteps."
He's on the Tracy Ulman show on BBC one
parkerman
27-01-2016, 23:00
Griffiths will first be seen on Corrie in March and is best known for being the face of Play School and Play Away in the '70s and '80s.
Griffiths did present Play School and Play Away for a short time, but there is no doubt that "the face" of Play School and Play Away was Brian Cant.
Yes that's true. There was a woman as well for years but cannot remember her name
Yes that's true. There was a woman as well for years but cannot remember her name
I remember Floella Benjamin but there were others too
parkerman
30-01-2016, 08:08
Toni Arthur was a long time presenter.
That's who I was thinking of but could not remember her name
Coronation Street actor Derek Griffiths has quit the soap.
The actor – who plays mechanic Freddie Smith – is leaving the ITV soap to star in a stage production of Driving Miss Daisy.
“Derek has been a great asset to the soap but bosses decided not to renew his 12 month contract," a source told The Sun .
“He’s looking to the future and can’t wait to get stuck in with the play.”
The 70 year old first found fame as a favourite on children's show Play School in the 1980s.
He joined Corrie in March 2016 and his character Freddie befriended Kylie Platt, played by Paula Lane.
The mechanic arrived after the death of his wife – a client of Kylie's at the beauty salon.
He has already apppeared in West End shows including Beauty and The Beast and Chitty Chitty Bang Bang.
When his casting on the soap was first announced, he said: "I remember being a young boy and watching Violet Carson [who played Ena Sharples] on Coronation Street.
"She was a brilliant character that people loved to hate, and later when I became an actor and played the villain in panto many times those are qualities I would bring to the role.
"When I came for my audition one of the first things I saw was a huge photo of Violet Carson on the wall. I am very much looking forward to walking in those hallowed footsteps."
Mirror.co.uk
a salary kev has not to pay saving money
This character was hever really developed or served any real purpose to any storylines
Coronation Street airs Freddie Smith's final scenes next week as he makes a low-key departure from the show.
Word recently leaked out that Derek Griffiths had quit the role after just a year, and viewers have since seen Freddie announce that he's thinking of retiring to go travelling.
Earlier this week, Freddie told Kevin Webster (Michael Le Vell) about his plans in a bid to solve his boss's financial problems, pointing out that things would be easier with him off the payroll at the garage.
Although Kevin stubbornly refused to entertain the idea, it seems that Freddie's mind is already made up and next week's episodes see him wave goodbye to the Street.
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Freddie Smith tells Rita Tanner that he's leaving in Coronation Street
© ITV
Before Freddie goes, there's unfinished business between him and Rita Tanner (Barbara Knox) after their recent fruit machine disagreement.
When Freddie pops over to The Kabin and invites Rita to his farewell drinks, she snubs his olive branch and refuses to go.
Not giving up so easily, Freddie persists with his attempts to make amends with Rita before departing the Street.
Former children's TV star Derek has been playing Freddie since March 2016, when his character was introduced as an unlikely new friend for Kylie Platt.
A Corrie insider recently told Digital Spy that Derek chose to bow out from the show of his own accord at the end of his contract.
The actor has always taken on a variety of roles throughout his career and he's wasted no time before landing his next part, joining a stage production of Driving Miss Daisy.
Digital Spy
tammyy2j
12-04-2017, 16:37
This character was hever really developed or served any real purpose to any storylines
After Kylie died, they really was nothing for him to do
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