Simon Gregson, I’m A Celebrity’s star, has spoken out about the horrendous abuse he suffered after joining Coronation Street.
The 47-year-old — who started playing Steve McDonald on the popular ITV soap in 1989 when he was just 15 years old — opened up to campmates about some of the shocking behaviour he has endured from the public in a candid conversation on the show last night.
After joining the cast of the show, he described being abused, shouted at and even beat up by strangers. He added that it made him feel more secure. “hate”For the first few years, he lived away from the set.
Simon also shared with his fellow contestants that he struggled to adjust to the new pressures.
(Image: Kieron McCarron/ITV/REX/Shutterstock)
“It was difficult for a while to adjust. It’s like, ‘This isn’t what I planned for myself and I do not like it’.”
“I hated it! The fame side of it, I hated. It was really negative feedback, getting beaten up, spat at, property being damaged.”
Frankie Bridge asked Simon about his soap career, and if he had ever thought of playing other characters. Simon replied: “No. I’ve never done anything but play Steve. It’s the only thing I’ve ever done. I wanted to join the military or race cars.”
(Image: ITV/REX/Shutterstock)
Simon continued to his campmates: “I was 15 when I started filming, 14 when I got the job.
“They went round loads of different schools in Manchester looking for two young lads to play the McDonald twins. And we were sat in assembly and they said there were people here from TV.
The bookies’ favourite confessed to the Telegraph earlier this year that he did not aspire to be an actor when he was younger, and instead wanted to join the army or become a race car driver.
For more of the latest showbiz news from Silver Screen Beat, make sure you sign up for one of our newsletters here .
