Coronation Street star Calum Lill reveals why he nearly quit his acting career
"It was a relief that 14 or 15 years had paid off and I wouldn't have to quit."
Coronation Street star Calum Lill has opened up about the struggles he faced when trying to become an actor and revealed why he nearly quit.
Speaking to Digital Spy and other media, Lill, who stars as Dee-Dee’s duplicitous boyfriend Joel Deering, said he almost quit his acting career before being cast in Corrie in 2023.
“I was selling cars while auditioning for Corrie and I hated it,” he said. “I thought: ‘It’s been 15 years, I’m going to have to drop it, nothing’s happening’.
“When I found out I got the part, I walked out onto the forecourt, I was between two cars. My agent said: ‘Calum?’ There was a silence that lasted for about ten minutes and then I heard ‘You got it’. Like the absolute drama queen that I am, I just fell to my knees and was crying and sobbing, I couldn’t speak. I was over the moon.”
After moving to Manchester with his girlfriend, Lill worked alongside acting to save for a house, describing the experience as “tough”.
“Then it came along and I’ve never felt anything like it. I was walking on air. I felt incredible – especially being a working class northern lad. To know I’ve got a part in an institution like Coronation Street, it’s the most incredible thing.”
Speaking of his girlfriend Roberta’s reaction to him getting the part, Lill said: “It wasn’t just happiness for me getting the job, she knew what I was going through and that I was struggling. I wasn’t happy in the job that I was doing. She knew that I was putting on a brave face, but how down I was. It was a relief that 14 or 15 years had paid off and I wouldn’t have to quit.
“There’s no shame in quitting. So many people have to. It’s one of the hardest industries to get into. But to know I didn’t have to was incredible.”
