© ITV
Chris Fountain, who plays Tommy, is now up for the 'Best Newcomer' prize at this year's National Television Awards, which will be determined by public votes as usual. The ceremony takes place in London on January 25.
As part of a series of NTA interviews, Digital Spy recently caught up with Chris to chat about his nomination and Tommy's current storylines.
How are you feeling about your NTA nomination for 'Best Newcomer'?
"It's fantastic to be in the running. Any recognition is great, whether it's being nominated or winning the award. I've spent a year at Coronation Street now and I think I've created a bit of a character in Tommy. It's a little bit strange to be nominated for 'Best Newcomer' considering I spent six years at Hollyoaks, but I'm a newcomer to Corrie which is what it's being judged and voted on."
What would it mean to you to win the award?
"It would be great. It would mean a lot to me to win the award. If I was to win 'Best Newcomer', it would show that the viewers like my character and they enjoy what I'm doing. That's what I strive to do every day at work - create a character that people can enjoy, relate to and be happy with."
"I've really enjoyed being out and about on Coronation Street and actually creating the character of Tommy. It's not just about having a big storyline - it's about creating a personality for your character and creating different traits. That's been the main thing for me.
"From what I hear when I talk to people on the street, viewers seem to really enjoy the relationship that Tommy has got with Tyrone, and they also often ask whether he'll be getting with Tina. That shows that people must be interested in Tommy, which is good and makes me proud to be part of it."
You're up against Chelsea Halfpenny from Emmerdale and Jacqueline Jossa from EastEnders. What do you think of your competition?
"I think they're both great. I don't usually watch much soap apart from Coronation Street, but from what I've seen of those two, they're both great actresses. I definitely think they're equally deserving of being in the running."
Have you had much support from your Corrie co-stars over the nomination?
"Yeah, I've had quite a lot! A few people have been coming up and saying congratulations, and a few have been tweeting the link for people to vote for me as well. There's a few of us who are up for awards this year, so I think we're all hoping that Coronation Street as a whole can pick up some prizes."
Why do you think people should choose Corrie as the 'Best Serial Drama' this year?
"I think people should choose Corrie this year because I don't think the show got the recognition it deserved for the tram crash and all of the 50th anniversary stuff. On top of that, we've also been working extremely hard this year with storylines to compete with the tram crash, because obviously that was massive.
"Some of the stuff on screen at the moment is brilliant, like Peter Barlow and his affair. I think Coronation Street is definitely at the forefront as far as continuing drama goes, so I think it speaks for itself as to why it should be voted for."
Katherine Kelly and Alison King are Corrie's other two nominees (for 'Serial Drama Performance'), so are you supporting those two as well?
"Definitely. I think Katherine Kelly is absolutely fantastic, and so is Alison King! It's hard to say which one to vote for, really. I'd say vote for either - as long as Coronation Street wins an award, I don't really mind!"
Are you looking forward to the big night itself?
"Yeah definitely, the NTAs are always a really good night. I went last year with Coronation Street even though I hadn't started filming at that point. You get to see a lot of people who you wouldn't see at the normal Soap Awards, as the ceremony represents all aspects of television. It's really nice to see everyone and be a part of it. And to be nominated on top of that as part of the final three for 'Best Newcomer' is a big honour."
"That'd be great news if it's true, but I haven't been told anything yet - no writers or producers have said that to me, so at the moment I'm genuinely not sure what's coming up for them myself. I think it would be great, but I'm not sure how it would happen.
"Obviously Tommy has laid it on the line a few times now, but Tina has turned him down. And there was the whole thing with Amber, where he upset Tina by mixing up his diary and having two dates on one night! We'll all just have to wait and see, I think."
Some people have been billing them as the next Jack and Vera in recent months! Does that add any pressure?
"People have compared Tommy and Tina to Jack and Vera, but I think there's a long way to go before we can carry that kind of torch. It's really flattering and a big compliment, though, as Jack and Vera were obviously one of the biggest couples in soap history. To say that we're similar to them is definitely a compliment."
What is it about Tina that stands out to Tommy above all the other ladies in Weatherfield?
"I think it's that Tina has played really hard to get. Before Tommy arrived in Coronation Street, I think he'd had his fair share of women and he was used to getting what he wanted. But Tina's not like that - she's really keeping him on his toes, and that's what's made Tommy fall for her. If they ever did get together, then I think Tina would definitely wear the trousers!"
If they did get together, would Tommy put his womanising days behind him and stay faithful to Tina?
"I'd like to think so! That's just based on my morals, but I suppose it just depends on what they write. I think Tommy has been trying for so long to get Tina that if they ever did get together, then he'd definitely stay faithful to her."
"At the moment, Tommy's a bit indifferent about the whole thing. On one hand, Tommy does agree that Kirsty is a bit strange and she's probably not good for Tyrone, but then on the other hand, he does stick up for her sometimes - because one of the main things that Tommy wants to see is Tyrone being happy.
"When Tina gets on her high horse, Tommy tries to calm her down and convince her that Kirsty isn't too bad. Deep down, Tommy knows that Kirsty isn't the right girl for Tyrone, but seeing him so happy with her makes him think otherwise."
Would there ever come a point where Tommy would step in and oppose Kirsty?
"I think if Kirsty ever did anything to really hurt Tyrone or Tina, then that'd be when Tommy would step in. I think he values their friendships a lot, so he'd definitely stick up for them."
Could Kirsty choose Tommy as her next target after she's finished messing with Tina?
"I hope not, because she's a bit strange, isn't she?! Tommy's definitely been lucky so far and I think that's why he's staying out of it - so she doesn't turn on him!"
"It's been great. It's like I said when I joined and it hasn't changed - there's a fantastic bunch of people here. Not just the cast - everyone in the crew works really hard, and I think you can see that in the show itself. I'm having a great time, I'm enjoying playing the character and I'm looking forward to this year and what it might bring for Tommy."
Could Tommy get a big storyline of his own anytime soon?
"I haven't heard anything about future storylines, but as an actor, I'd certainly like to take Tommy somewhere and get him involved in a big storyline. I'd really like to show off what I can do. One of the reasons that I came to Coronation Street is to prove what I can do as an actor on a nationwide stage."
What would be a dream storyline for you to play as Tommy?
"It's always a difficult question to answer, but in the future, I'd quite like something that would show a different side to Tommy. Everyone sees him as a bit of a player, but it'd be nice to play something that's a bit more emotional and maybe have some of his past brought up. I'd like to test myself as an actor, as well as showing progression for Tommy."
> Read all the latest Coronation Street spoilers and news
Cast your votes for this year's National Television Awards here. Chris is nominated for 'Best Newcomer' alongside Emmerdale's Chelsea Halfpenny and EastEnders' Jacqueline Jossa.
