Marc Baylis reveals why he almost 'quit' acting just before he landed Coronation Street role
Coronation Street's Marc Baylis may have given up on his dream acting career if he did not have any "outstanding ambitions".
Marc Baylis nearly quit acting before he was cast in 'Coronation Street'.
The 47-year-old star is best known for playing convicted murderer Rob Donovan on ITV's flagship soap opera but admitted that he was close to giving up on his dreams before he landed the role in 2012.
He told the Daily Mirror newspaper: "I have loads of outstanding ambitions. I would have quit if I hadn't!
"I thought of giving up on acting loads of times.
"It's not an easy industry, it's never been an easy industry, and it never will be an easy industry.
"The struggles are part of the journey."
Before landing his signature role, Marc had minor parts in shows such as 'EastEnders' and 'The Bill' but even though he then faced "a couple of years" without an acting job, now he feels "stronger" as a person after pushing through the hardship.
Marc added: "It gives you armour and a better understanding of yourself as well.
"If anything comes too easy to anyone in life, maybe they won't respect it as much."
The soap star did "pretty much everything under the sun" - such as working on building sites, in pubs, as well as dabbling in sales and marketing - so he could "establish" himself, and he thinks doing other jobs makes people "far more grounded and far more respectful".
Marc said: "It's a case of keeping your head above water.
"But that's the nature of the beast.
"My family have always been very supportive and, luckily, I enjoy variety. And you pick up skills along the way.
"Anything you learn on your journey you can apply into your acting work as well.
"If you've done other jobs, it makes you appreciate the roles more when you get them.
"You become a much more rounded person, far more grounded and far more respectful."
In 2014, Rob was sentenced to 25 years' imprisonment for the murder of Tina McIntyre (Michelle Keegan) and appeared sporadically for another two years when it was revealed that he had managed to escape from jail, only to be put back behind bars.
Marc returned to the soap earlier this year as his character Rob was persuaded by his son Bobby (Jack Carroll) to donate a kidney to his sister Carla Connor (Alison King), which he agreed to as long as it facilitated his jail break.
