Neilson: 'Roy Cropper has changed a lot'

Coronation Street star David Neilson has revealed that he is surprised by how much Roy Cropper has changed.

The 60-year-old actor claimed that his Weatherfield alter ego is barely recognisable when compared to the early version of the character from 1995.

Speaking to ATV News Network, Neilson explained: "I was recently watching some footage they'd put up on the Coronation Street website of Roy when he was first in the show and [I realised] he's very different to the way he is now. He was very up in the air and 'pleased to meet you' and very smiley in the beginning. And his Northern accent was a lot stronger!

"So he has changed, but not consciously. I've not consciously thought about him changing but you take on experiences, like his marriage and all the problems that came with that. The thing with Roy is that he's always got a dark cloud over his head, just about to dump on him!"

Neilson said that "going out with a woman and finding out he wasn't going out with a woman" was one major experience which altered Roy permanently.

He continued: "So each time Roy gathers more experience he gets a bit more worldly wise and ground down. It keeps it interesting as an actor. You think, 'Hang on - I've got to do some work now!'."

Neilson recently admitted that he was keen to give Roy more depth after making his debut in the '90s.