INTERVIEW: When one door closes...
It's been on and off, but is this the end for Sean and Billy? We spoke to Antony Cotton about heartbreak and moving forward.
Does Sean have any idea how close Billy and Todd have become?
No he totally believes everything that was going on was because of the secret about the brother.
Why do you think Billy chose to confide in Todd rather than Sean?
Well really it came out of their shared concerns over Sarah, I think. That is the side of things that Sean has no idea about, he knows that Todd found Billy’s brother so thinks that’s all there is to it. Sean thinks if it was him who found the brother he would have been the one Billy confided in. But of course Billy can’t talk to Sean about the Sarah thing as that was a confessional.
How important is this trip to London to Sean?
Very very important, it is not just a trip to London, it is a trip to see Dylan and it is Dylan meeting Billy. It is quite monumental for Sean, he doesn’t get to see Dylan a lot so it is a very significant trip. It is the next step on their relationship especially after the little glitch they have had.
Does Sean have any inkling that Billy’s feelings have changed?
No he doesn’t have any idea he genuinely thinks it was all about his secret brother.
What is Sean’s first thought when Billy asks the driver to stop the Car?
He just thinks that he has forgotten something, Sean rolls his eyes and asks Billy what he has forgotten but he just says he can’t do it!
How does the confrontation that follows pan out?
It is very sudden, Sean is telling Billy that he has packed some Prosecco for the train and Billy sees Todd standing in the doorway of the florists and that is the thing the catalyst makes him realise he can’t go with Sean. Sean is absolutely floored by it.
How will Billy and Todd affect Sean’s relationship with the Grimshaws?
Well Sean, Todd and Jason are like brothers so it is going to be very difficult for Sean living with Todd. I have filmed some later scenes and they are very emotional. It is going to have major implications for his relationship with the whole family. The brother code has been broken by Todd. That said I don’t think he has done it in a deliberate or dastardly way, he is genuinely sorry it has happened. It has massive implications for every rock solid foundation Sean has had for the last 14 years.
It seems as though Sean hasn’t been Billy’s priority for some time, so do you think Sean was truly happy in his relationship with Billy?
He absolutely thought he was the one. Sean is Raquel so he thinks everyone is the one, he is a romantic. Often he has been the orchestrator of his own downfall but not on this occasion. He wasn’t needy or clingy. He was confused because he knew something wasn’t right but he thought he had solved that problem. He has been happier with Billy than with anyone before.
Do you enjoy playing that side of Sean?
I love that vulnerable side of him, when I meet people out and about I love when people say how much they love Billy and Sean. It is a nice part of the feedback you get that people are rooting for Sean and Billy to work. When you think about it it’s not so long ago that we were being slated for showing the kiss on canal street and now the majority of people love the fact that Sean has found love. It just shows how far we have come.
Would you like Sean to find someone new or would you like to see him be single for a while?
He is on the shelf but always looking for love so he will revert to type.
Will you miss having Daniel as an on-screen boyfriend?
I love working with Dan, and hopefully Sean and Billy can be friends in the future. He is a generous actor and we have a great laugh.
How do you think fans will react to the end of the relationship?
I am sure I will get lots of sympathy. Poor Daniel he is going to get some grief as he’s the one that has done the dirty on Sean.
How can Sean and Todd move on from this, what does the future hold can they come back from this?
There are some very moving scenes coming up , Todd doesn’t want to lose Sean’s friendship. I’d like to think that as they are pretty much family that time will heal the wounds and they can move on from this.