Inside John Thomson’s life off-screen from divorce to Coronation Street return
John Thomson has made a shock return to Coronation Street as Gail Platt's love interest Jesse, but what do we know about him away from the cobbles? Let's take a look...
John Thomson is back on our TV screens after reprising his role as Jesse Chadwick in Coronation Street. The actor has returned to the cobbles for a brief stint, as part of Gail Platt’s (Helen Worth) exit storyline.
John, 55, replaced Sean Wilson, who plays Gail’s ex-husband Martin Platt, in the storyline. However, Jesse’s arrival on Coronation Street has certainly ruffled feathers, especially as he is the ex-boyfriend of Eileen Grimshaw. Fourteen years had passed since Jesse was last seen in Weatherfield, when he was chased out of the Rovers by a furious Eileen. John has revealed he was “really happy” to be contacted by ITV bosses about reprising his role as Jesse, admitting it was “perfect timing”.
John Thomson has made a return to Coronation Street (
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He said: “I was really happy to get the call, it was always a case of never say never, but it came in between jobs for me so the timing was perfect. I have a young daughter so I don’t like to travel too far from home and although the last time I was in the show was 15 years ago it has felt like meeting up with an old friend you haven’t seen for a long time and the years just melt away.”
He then added, when asked about what his Corrie alter-ego had been up to since he was last roaming the cobbles: “Well he did remarry, but that didn’t work out. He was also badly let down by a friend which culminated in him being left in some dire circumstances. So as a means to reinvent himself he started to travel the world to, as they say, find himself.”
Away from the cobbles, John is known for for his roles in The Fast Show, Men Behaving Badly, Cold Feet, 24 Hour Party People and The Brothers Grimsby. He’s also worked as a comedian and narrator over the years, and appeared on several radio shows.
John with ex-wife Samantha Sharp
The soap star married his longtime girlfriend Samantha Sharp in 2005 and the couple share two daughters, Olivia, who was born in 2002 and Sophia Melody, who was born in 2010. However, John and Samantha divorced in 2015. The actor is understood to currently be single.
The former couple released a statement confirming the end of their 10-year marriage in 2015. They wrote: “Sadly our marriage has irretrievably broken down. We have now been separated since November 2014 and we are currently in the final stages of a divorce. The priority is the welfare of our children and we ask that you please respect our privacy at this time.”
