Gareth Pierce hopes for more 'happiness' for Coronation Street alter ego Todd Grimshaw
Coronation Street actor Gareth Pierce hopes that his ITV soap character Todd Grimshaw gets more "happiness" in the future after his involvement in the show's harrowing coercive control storyline.
Gareth Pierce wants more "happiness" for his Coronation Street alter ego Todd Grimshaw.
The 45-year-old star's character has been at the centre of a harrowing coercive control storyline on the ITV soap that resulted in the murder of his partner Theo Silverton (James Cartwright) in recent months and has expressed hope that Todd can be given some lighter material in the future.
Speaking to Inside Soap magazine, Gareth said: "As a human being looking at Todd as a character, I would love him to have a bit more happiness on the other side of this storyline.
"But then, me, Gareth, as an actor, goes, 'You tend to get more stories when things are bad!'
"But what is important for me is that he reconnects with his lightness and playfulness, because I love playing comedy anyway. Some more genuine smiles and connections for Todd would be very welcome."
Meanwhile, Gareth feels it is important for the plot to leave long-term scars on Todd but doesn't want it to define the character either.
He said: "I think it's important that we hold on to those, but then equally, I don't think it's helpful to mire him in the story and relationship.
"We still want a character that is useful to the show, that can still reconnect with all those other things that we love about him – his irreverence, wry humour and playfulness.
"So, the scars will be there, but what's important for me is that it's not in an obvious way."
Corrie viewers were horrified to see Todd's confidence stripped away by Theo and Pierce felt that the "subtleties" of the storyline were the most impactful elements.
The actor said: "I felt like the more important parts were those subtleties when you started to see Todd be broken down by Theo and adjust his behaviour around him.
"It's the slow-burn psychological breaking down of a person that is most heartbreaking to watch, and also the most destructive to anyone who finds themselves in a relationship like that, sometimes more than the explosions of violence or sadism."
Gareth added: "Theo set a rule of taking shoes off in the apartment, and we held to that in subsequent episodes.
"I remember there was a moment where Theo had gone away for a weekend and Todd's instinct was to take his shoes off, and then he realised that Theo isn't there and he doesn't have to.
"That wouldn't have been something that everybody picked up on, but it helps us as actors because it feels very real and truthful."
