The Crown star James Murray started off his acting career on ITV soap Coronation Street but the experience left him terrified
10:34, 15 Mar 2026Updated 10:35, 15 Mar 2026
James Murray kick started his acting career in Coronation Street(Image: ITV)
James Murray has revealed why he won’t return to Coronation Street after just three episodes.
The actor shared that he featured in three episodes of the ITV soap when speaking to Alan Titchmarsh on Love Your Weekend on Sunday (March 15).
When asked to share who he played in the long-running serial drama, James told the ITV host he was Sandy the barman many years ago.
He commented: “I was Jack and Vera’s barman for about three episodes, it was a frightening experience.
“No good at the job! Thankfully, I think I was contracted for three episodes, so I was in and out, but it was so frightening because Bill Tarmey, who played Jack, was a wonderful man.
The actor appeared as Sandy the barman in the ITV soap(Image: ITV)
“You know how those things are filmed, it’s very quick. It’s like a sausage factory! There’s not much time for creative input from the actors, shall we say. You just stand on your mark, say your line, and we move on.
“That was my first introduction into the world of acting, screen acting. I walked into the Rovers, and I was absolutely petrified!
“The bright lights, I overlearned my lines, and I was just a mess. I was shaking and sweating.”
James Murray kick started his acting career in Coronation Street(Image: ITV)
James recalled how Bill was polishing some glass during their scene together and noticed how nervous he was.
The actor added: “He [Bill] went, ‘You’re shaking like a leaf, son, either stop shaking or think of doing something else’.
“After that stint on Corrie, I said I don’t want to be an actor, or I don’t want to be an actor like this, because it was so frightening to me!
“Being thrown into the lion’s den, first off. I then went and did theatre and other things, but yeah, never again. My hat goes off to the way they act in those shows because it’s so quick.”
The actor confessed the experience on the cobbles was ‘frightening’ (Image: ITV)
Luckily, it wasn’t enough to turn him off of acting completely as James has gone on to star in many well known shows. Recently, he appeared as Raef Lonsdale in the 2025 BBC drama series Wild Cherry, one of the more villainous characters in the show.
While speaking to Alan Titchmarsh he joked he ‘can’t remember’ the last time he didn’t play an evil character, admitting it may have something to do with his eyebrows.
Love Your Weekend with Alan Titchmarsh is available to watch on Saturdays on ITV from 9:30am
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