Coronation Street star’s very different new career away from the cameras after axe

Although he still acts and makes television appearances, former Corrie actor Nicholas Cochrane has a deep love of sport, which has seen him interview David Beckham. and Roy Keane.

We all remember when the iconic twin duo Andy and Steve McDonald first arrived on the cobbles of Coronation Street in 1989 with their parents Jim and Liz. Simon Gregson, who played Steve, and Nicholas Cochrane who played Andy were the rebellious teenagers who caused mayhem in Weatherfield. Simon, who was just 15 when he arrived on the soap, grew up in the public eye after remaining on the show. He has been involved in many dramatic storylines, including fathering Amy, daughter of mischievous Tracy Barlow, and his highly popular relationship with Becky, played by Katherine Kelly.

However, fellow actor Nicholas, 50, was forced to leave the soap alongside other notable characters when a new producer arrived in 1997. The storyline that saw Andy move away from the cobbles involved him taking up a teaching post in Spain, but he has since returned to make guests appearances in 2000, 2004, and 2009.

Despite now looking very different to the character who made him famous 26 years ago Nicholas’ acting career is still very much alive. After the soap he starred in the ITV police drama Heartbeat, playing golfer Barray Scripps before jetting off to Canada in 2012 with other ex Corrie stars, and in 2019, he starred in Doctors as Dean Telford, a dad in debt to a local businessman.

He has dabbled in a series of different industries, which saw him in 2004 co-launch a magazine about soap operas called Into Soap Media LTD, which was unfortunately short lived. Its competition Inside Soap and Soaplife had been dominating audience readership where his magazine only gathered around 75,000 readers. He continues to connect to the world of Corrie, starring in Coronation Street documentaries, such as The Kids from Coronation Street, Farewell Liz, and the Stars of the street 50 years 50 classic characters.

Viewers will have seen him guest star in multiple TV shows including Loose Women, Celebrity Eggheads, To Me To You, South Bank show, and more. Whilst guest starring on This Morning, host Holly Willoughby asked him if he could make a possible return to Corrie and he didn’t deny there could be a chance. “He [Andy] went to Spain and then he never came back,” he said. “He was never killed off, the door was left open, they go and visit him quite frequently,” adding, “Well I’m a good excuse for when everyone needs to go on a real holiday, they send them to Spain to go see me.”

Nicholas also worked in theatre and joined the nationwide tour of Spring and Port Wine with The Middle Ground Theatre Company, starring in a range of pantos including Cinderella, Aladdin and the Beanstalk. He then turned to TV presenting where he appeared on Granada TV and MUTV, being able to interview A list footballers like Roy Keane and David Beckham. He has also hosted radio shows for Talksport and BBC5 Live. Happily married, Nicholas lives in Manchester with his wife Denise and their two children. In his spare time he now enjoys watching and playing most sports.