The actor discusses his alter ego’s problematic lie!
Bobby Crawford has caused chaos on the Coronation Street cobbles by telling a game-changing lie about missing teen Lauren Bolton (Cait Fitton), and it certainly hasn’t helped matters.
After his initial suspicion of Roy Cropper (David Neilson), Bobby came to understand that Roy is a good man – but Roy is now in prison, charged with Lauren’s murder!
When Bobby decided to tell DS Swain (Vicky Myers) that he saw a man not fitting Roy’s description leaving Lauren’s flat, he drew his aunt Carla Barlow (Alison King) into the lie.
Now, as actor Jack Carroll discusses his alter ego’s situation, he teases that Bobby could be in serious trouble if Swain uncovers his deception!
Defensive Bobby hadn’t banked on his fib causing so much drama, although his heart was in the right place. Read on as Carroll talks us through the storyline in this new interview.
Why do you think Bobby was so suspicious of Roy in the beginning?
“It was that thing of Bobby being new to the street, and outwardly Roy has a bit of a strange manner, kind of a loner, and that’s how he appears to any stranger upon first meeting him.
“But then you’ve got all the people on the street who know Roy and know what a lovely man he is fighting his corner, and then on the other hand you have the viewers who spent all these years with Roy and went through all the heartbreak with Hayley and built up a real bond with this character – and they can’t intervene, but they know Roy is a lovely man – and they have to watch as a big misunderstanding drags his name through the mud.”
When did Bobby’s opinion of Roy change?
“I think there’s a moment where he does take on board what other members of the street have said about Roy, and that kind of starts to filter in – but there’s a sense of the wheels are already in motion and what’s been done can’t be undone. He’s let the cat out the bag, has Bobby a little bit, and I think that’s probably before he was in full possession of the facts. He’s not a bad person, is Bobby, but he’s quick to jump to conclusions, and that’s been the big problem.”
Is that why he provided the police with a false statement?
“Yes, I think it’s a naïve and immature attempt to right the wrong for someone who he has just subsequently found out is a nice bloke. It’s not the best way of going about it, but it’s Bobby’s way of trying to rectify his mistake, and unfortunately what he’s done is make things 10 times worse.”
Roy is so honest and wouldn’t have wanted Bobby to have done this… does he regret it/feel guilty?
“He goes back and forth between the two emotions; he’s done it for the right reasons, but it’s probably the wrong action, and I think when you are backed into a corner it can be very hard to admit that you’ve made a mistake, so there’s a little bit of that as well – he kind of gets a little bit prickly and angry when he’s questioned about it.”
Could there be consequences for Bobby if he gets found out?
“I think yes, that is usually what happens in these situations, and certainly DS Swain is not the sort of character that you want to get on the wrong side of, especially when she’s got a bee in her bonnet about something.”
Where does Carla stand on what Bobby has done?
“The dynamic between Bobby and Carla has really grown, and she’s really come to accept his flaws and faults and grown really fond of him as a family member, but unfortunately it is those same flaws and faults that start to get her embroiled in legal problems. This is real stuff – it’s not just Bobby sitting on the sofa and not pulling his weight, this could have tangible consequences for both of their lives.”
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