Coronation Street’s Jude Riordan, who plays Sam Blakeman on the ITV soap, comes from a showbiz family

18:55, 13 Jun 2026Updated 18:59, 13 Jun 2026

Two individuals are engaged in a conversation. The person on the left is dressed formally, sporting glasses, a necktie, and a headset. The individual on the right has long, dark hair and is dressed casually.

Coronation Street Sam actor’s famous family including brother who is cobbles co-star

Coronation Street‘s Jude Riordan has portrayed Sam Blakeman for several years – but who makes up his famous family?

Jude arrived on the ITV soap in 2020 as Sam Blakeman, the secret son of Nick Tilsley (Ben Price). Since then, Sam has featured in numerous major storylines throughout the programme.

These include the devastating death of his mother, Natasha Blakeman (Rachel Leskovac), who was murdered by Harvey Gaskell (Will Mellor).

Recently on the soap, Sam’s mental health has declined, with him experiencing hallucinations. Events took a devastating turn this week, however, when he suffered a psychic breakdown and was sent to hospital.

An individual wearing glasses and a black coat, along with a black bow tie, appears to be engaged in a conversation with another person. The latter is dressed in formal attire and is gazing towards the former, who is sporting a headset. The setting appears to be indoors, possibly within a classroom or office environment.

Jude has played Sam for several years(Image: ITV)

Yet, it emerges that Jude hails from a distinctly showbiz family. Jude’s father is none other than Paul Riordan, who has helmed numerous episodes of Coronation Street, reports the Mirror.

Paul built a thriving career as a television director after entering the industry through a part in Hollyoaks years ago. He has subsequently accumulated directing credits on soaps including Emmerdale and Casualty.

Jude’s father is Paul Riordan - who has directed several episodes of Coronation Street

His father is a director on the soap(Image: Instagram )

In 2021, Paul joined his son Jude on Corrie. Posting a photograph of himself embracing his dad while on the soap’s set, Jude said: “When you haven’t been well but can’t miss your first Corrie scene directed by yer Dad @paulrio27.”

The previous year, father and son were photographed together on the iconic Cobbles. The image, captured near the street’s salon, was accompanied by the caption “Another blockbuster with the Father @paulrio27 a busy couple of days! More bold choices. Back with him next week @coronationstreet”.

In an indoor setting that resembles a bar or cafe, a group of individuals are engaged in various activities. Two individuals are seated at a table, deeply engrossed in a game of chess, with a few pieces strategically placed on the board. Behind them, another individual is standing, holding a microphone, possibly conducting an interview or engaging in conversation. A fourth person is seated on a stool, attentively observing the scene. The ambiance is enhanced by the presence of a bar counter with several glasses and other items. The overall setting appears casual yet focused on the activities at hand.

Jude’s brother also appeared on the ITV soap

However, that wasn’t the only family connection, as Jude’s brother Zach also featured in the soap during 2022, portraying Oscar, Sam’s opponent in a chess competition. At the time, Jude shared his thoughts on X about his brother’s appearance on the cobbles.

“When it was Bring Your Brother to Work Day […] Sam smashed Oscar out of the bistro. BEST DAY so far,” Jude posted following the episode’s broadcast.

Audiences were stunned by the discovery, with one viewer responding: “Didn’t realise that was your real brother @JudeRiordan wow how lovely! ! They added: “Fab having a scene together playing Chess Rivals!! Will have to watch again on Catch-up.”

Coronation Street airs Monday to Friday at 8:30pm on ITV1 and ITVX