Exclusive: New Family On The Street
Say hello to the Bailey family - Ed, Aggie, Michael and James. A brand new family moving to Weatherfield in June this year!
Coronation Street Producer Iain MacLeod has announced the arrival of a new family onto the famous Corrie cobbles.
The Bailey family will walk into Weatherfield in Spring, first appearing on our screens from early June as they move into No.3, having bought the house from Norris.
The family is made up of Dad Edison (Trevor Michael Georges), known as Ed, and Mum Aggie (Lorna Laidlaw), both in their 50s, and their two sons Michael (Ryan Russell) and James (Nathan Graham).
When Edison arrives on the street he and Michael have already bought the builder’s yard from the Grimshaws. Edison’s a former property developer turned builder who works hard but also knows how to play hard. He’s a no nonsense kind of bloke who has made his own way in life. Edison is definitely one of the lads, loves a pint, banter, and is always up for a laugh.
Pharmacy assistant Aggie is friendly, fun and outrageous in equal measures. Aggie’s energy and vivacity is something Edison never stops complaining about but you only have to see the way he looks at her to know he’s still deeply in love with his wife.
Michael is the elder son, 27, and is a man full of big ideas and get-rich-quick schemes. He relies on his cheeky-chappy charm and is endlessly optimistic, especially in his relationships which haven’t always worked out for him in the past. Michael’s the apple of Aggie’s eye and fiercely protective of his younger brother, though James may be the more mature of the pair!
James is 19 and is Edison’s pride and joy, a truly talented footballer already playing for Weatherfield County. He’s good-looking but more brooding than Michael and can need coaxing out of his shell. He’s as dedicated to his dreams as Michael is to his but more quiet, modest and hard-working. James is living with a secret he’s scared to share, how will his family and team mates react when they find out James is gay?
The Bailey family soon make themselves at home in Weatherfield and while initially they may rub a few people up the wrong way they’re soon firm favourites in the community.
Producer Iain MacLeod said:
"I am really excited to introduce this new family - the audience is going to love them! They’re funny, warm and will pull together through thick and thin as we play out the stories we’ve got lined up for them."
"Parents Edison and Aggie are soulmates who, underneath the banter, will stick up for each other and defend their boys when the going gets tough. Eldest son Michael is an exuberant, loveable dreamer with a huge heart and is the glue that holds the family together. James is Michael’s younger brother and best mate, who is a sensitive lad with a secret that he fears will throw his family into turmoil and impact on his career."
"The four actors we’ve cast are all individually brilliant but together they have a truly incredible chemistry. I can’t wait for them to hit the screen!"
Actor Trevor Michael Georges, best known for his work on Swap, Noughts & Crosses and Holby City, will play Edison.
He said: "I have never allowed myself to imagine being part of such a massive icon in television history. I grew up with Ena Sharples, Stan and Hilda Ogden and Elsie Tanner. As did my family, my neighbourhood and the entire country."
To look at a script where Edison Bailey is chatting away with Ken Barlow couldn't be any more humbling...and a bit scary.
Lorna Laidlaw, whose recent credits include the Wizard in The Wizard of Oz at Birmingham Rep and an eight year stint in Doctors both playing Mrs Tembe and directing, said of getting the role Aggie:
"I am absolutely thrilled to be joining this iconic show. I have grown up watching Coronation Street. It’s the meat and two veg of the nation's soap diet. A staple, that has been apart of my family for more years than I care to remember. I've got my knife and fork at the ready...lets tuck in!"
The actor playing Michael, Ryan Russell, who is best known for his role as a presenter in the CBeebies House, said:
"It's an absolute pleasure to join the team at Coronation Street! It's truly a blessing and a privilege to join such an iconic show. I'm really looking forward to the challenge of exploring Michael and working with the rest of the cast!"
Nathan Graham plays James, he is joining the show after appearing in Dreamgirls and Miss Saigon in the West End.
He said: "I’m so grateful for this opportunity to join Coronation Street and be a part of this show. I’m thrilled to be a member of the Bailey family and excited to explore the difficulties James may face along the way."