Coronation Street star Gareth Pierce has opened up about Todd Grimshaw’s role in Kit Green’s major breast cancer storyline. Earlier this week, Kit (played by Jacob Roberts) was diagnosed with stage three breast cancer.
On Monday’s episode (September 7) Kit reluctantly told Todd about his diagnosis after drinking in the Rovers. Todd had been pressing Kit to tell him what was wrong with him, causing the detective to blurt out his diagnosis.
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Now, speaking exclusively to Digital Spy on the red carpet at the National Television Awards, Pierce revealed the role Todd will play in Kit’s storyline.
Prior to Kit’s diagnosis, Todd had struck up a friendship with Kit’s great aunt Celeste, who was dying from cancer, while planning her funeral. But with Celeste’s death, Todd is left with very few friends on the street.
Pierce explained: “I suppose you’ve seen on screen this week that he is maybe realising, through what happened to Celeste, that his current behaviour might leave him a little friendless on the other side of it, and that the well of sympathy for Todd, no matter what he’s been through, might be running a little low. So that’s what he’ll be coming to terms with now.”
Speaking about Kit’s confession, Pierce continued: “He was the first confidante for Kit this week, and I think that could be a really lovely friendship, actually. It’s always nice when you get to work with actors you don’t work with loads, and also characters.”
Pierce went on to add that we’ll be seeing more of Todd and Kit’s relationship, saying: “Jacob [Roberts] and I get on brilliantly, and so we’re really pleased to now be getting some more stuff as characters, which we haven’t always had.”
Meanwhile, Roberts appeared on ITV’s Lorraine this morning, showing off his new hairstyle. The actor has shaved his head, ahead of Kit’s upcoming chemotherapy scenes.
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Speaking about the storyline, Roberts said he was “very grateful” to explore a more “personal” side to Kit, adding that he wanted to “do a good job”.
“I think, the more I spoke to people with male breast cancer, the more I realised that it’s sort of a woman’s world, in a way. You know, it happens to both people but we don’t realise how much you can feel a bit emasculated,” he told host Lorraine Kelly.
Coronation Street airs on weeknights at 8.30pm on ITV1 and streams on ITVX.
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