'Coronation Street' Chris Fountain talks awards, Tommy discovery, more

Coronation Street star Chris Fountain has been pushed to the forefront of storylines in recent months, earning himself nominations for 'Best Actor' and 'Sexiest Male' at next month's Inside Soap Awards.

The 24-year-old's character Tommy Duckworth has even more turbulent times ahead in the coming days, as he finally discovers that best friend Tyrone Dobbs has become a victim of domestic violence in his relationship with Kirsty Soames.

Tommy is eager to help Tyrone after learning of the disturbing situation, but his rash actions end up making everything worse…

Digital Spy recently caught up with Chris to hear about Tommy's latest storyline and his Inside Soap nominations.

Congratulations on your nominations for 'Best Actor' and 'Sexiest Male' at the Inside Soap Awards. How does it feel to be in the running?
"I'm absolutely thrilled about it, to be honest. I've been really fortunate because I've been up for a few awards since I've been at Corrie. I've not won one yet, but I'm still hoping for some votes!"

Do you have a preference for which prize you'd rather win?
"I don't mind - a win is a win, really! It'd be nice to win 'Best Actor' because that's more of a prestigious award than 'Sexiest Male', but I'll take anything!"

Is there anything you'd say for why soap fans should be voting for all things Corrie this year?
"Well, we all work incredibly hard on what we do here at Corrie. I think that shows on screen, as there's been some absolutely fantastic stuff this year. The Tyrone and Kirsty storyline in particular seems to have really got the public talking. Because Tyrone is such a popular character, people are really feeling sorry for him when he's being treated so badly.

"On top of that, I think all of the storylines this year have been strong. If people want to vote for us, it'd be greatly appreciated by everyone at Coronation Street - from all of the cast to the producers."



You had a quiet first year on Corrie, but Tommy now seems to be getting bigger storylines. Has that felt like a big change for you at work?
"It's not a huge change, because even when I first started in Corrie and wasn't in a massive storyline, I was still very much part of the show and you'd often see me in and around the street - in The Rovers or in the garage. I've had a few quiet patches, but it's so full-on doing soaps, so sometimes it's nice to have a break every now and then.

"Having said that, I've really enjoyed all of the stuff after Terry came back - I think it's really introduced Tommy more as a character. I'm really pleased with how everything's going at the minute."

What was it like to film the Terry episodes, which were probably your biggest so far?
"They were great - it was fantastic to be involved in that story, because Terry has become a bit of an icon over the years at Corrie, so it was a big thing for him to be back in the show. With the Duckworth name being back in Corrie, there's always the possibility that he could crop up at any time!

"It was really fun to do, not just to be working with Nigel Pivaro and Michelle Keegan, but to have Tommy at the forefront of a storyline was really nice for me."

Later this week, Tommy finds out that Kirsty has been violent towards Tyrone. How does he react?
"Tommy is obviously gutted about this, especially as Tyrone hasn't told him. In a way Tommy feels bad, because he was the one who introduced the two of them and pushed them together in the first place!

"Tyrone is Tommy's best mate, so it's really difficult for Tommy to stand by and not be able to do anything about it. Tina orders Tommy not to say anything to Tyrone or anyone else, because it's a secret. But you'll see that Tommy blows his lid a little bit! Tommy hates Kirsty anyway, so this latest news really riles him up."



It doesn't take long for Tommy to confront Kirsty…
"Yeah, Tommy gives Kirsty a piece of his mind after he spots her arguing with Tyrone and Tina. He doesn't stop there, though - there's also a scene where Tommy goes into the pub and starts shouting at Kirsty in front of everyone. Tommy thinks that if he outs Kirsty in public, then Tyrone will have no choice but to admit what's been going on.

"However, rather than that happening, Tyrone then shouts to everyone in the pub about Tommy being involved with drug dealers at the garage - and how he was to blame for Rita being late for her wedding.

"Nobody believes Tommy when he says that Kirsty has been beating up Tyrone, especially considering that she's nine months pregnant. So the tables end up being turned on Tommy and Tina. They're being seen as the bad guys, when really they're just trying to help."

Is there anyone in particular who reacts badly to the drugs secret?
"Kevin has a real go at Tommy, because it was his garage where it was all going on. Jason also turns his nose up at Tommy a bit, even though they're mates. Tommy and Tina are a bit like outcasts for a bit - everyone thinks that they're just being spiteful and lying about Kirsty.

"Obviously that couldn't be further from the truth - all they're trying to do is help Tyrone. But he's having none of it and he's blind to everything that's going on, really."

Does this put a strain on Tommy and Tina's romance?
"They manage to keep a united front to an extent, but because of all the debt that Tommy's in, they're also having a really hard time of it at the moment. It does put a bit of a strain on them."

Tommy also loses his job at the garage due to all the drama. Will this be for good?
"I don't know - maybe! It could be permanent, but I don't know where it's going to go. I imagine that if Tyrone and Tommy do make friends again, he'll probably get his job back. But as of yet, it's not looking good!"

What does Tommy do next?
"Obviously he's gutted about losing his job, but he's well aware that he needs to keep paying Tyrone back, and make sure he has enough money to live on personally as well. So he starts work in a security job at a warehouse, as well as working as a pizza delivery boy."



Do you think Tommy and Tina are going to have a long-term future together?
"I'm not sure, but I think it would be nice as couples tend to split up all the time in soap, so it'd be good for them to have some sort of longevity. I do know that there's some really good stuff coming up for Tommy and Tina, but it just depends on how that pans out as to whether they stay together or not."

Away from Corrie, you've started studying again on a music course, haven't you?
"Yeah - music has always been a big part of my life. I've been DJing for the last six years, and I just got to the point where I wanted to start making my own music. I've been messing around for a couple of years now, but never took it ridiculously seriously, so I didn't learn a great deal until now.

"Musically I'm okay, but it's just a case of learning how to make it happen on a computer. So I've started a course at the Manchester MIDI School, which is two minutes away from the Corrie set. I'll be doing that for nine months."

How do you fit it in with your Corrie commitments?
"It usually works out okay, but it can be quite difficult sometimes. For example, in the past couple of weeks I've been on some night shoots, and my course is 7pm to 10pm twice a week. There are also times when I'm filming all day, and then have to take in a massive lecture on music theory afterwards! In general, though, it's worked out well and hasn't caused too many problems!"

> Read more 'Coronation Street' spoilers and news
> Read more of our Inside Soap Awards 2012 coverage

The 2012 Inside Soap Awards - sponsored by online fashion retailer boohoo.com - take place in September. Voting is open via the Inside Soap website.

Coronation Street airs Mondays, Thursdays and Fridays on ITV1.