Coronation Street's Charlie Lawson has admitted to taking a cocktail of prescription drugs while on the soap – supplied by co-star Lynne Perrie.
The actor, who played Jim McDonald, said he enjoyed wild nights on the tiles with the actress, famous as Ivy Tilsley, and Phil Middlemiss, a favourite as ladies’ man Des Barnes.
Charlie is writing a warts-and-all autobiography about his life which is so colourful it is now with lawyers to see which bits he has to take out for legal reasons.
Charlie said “Lynne Perrie used to have a cocktail of pills that she was on and shared some out with us one day, and by God we were all over the bloody shop, you know what I mean? Lynne was her own worst enemy.
“She just let the drink get the better of her. Me and Phil took her to the Hacienda.”
Lynne died aged 74 following a stroke in 2006. She had suffered ill health for several years including heart problems and a battle with booze. Speaking to the Distinct Nostalgia podcast, Charlie told how his on-screen son Simon Gregson, who still plays Steve, nearly quit the show.
He also says that he had to have a word with Simon about nights out and turning up on set late.
“His peers weren’t that keen on him when he started becoming a bit of a wide boy,” he said. “Simon found it hard, and he’s still there but nearly wasn’t.
“I was very close to Sarah Lancashire, Eva Pope saved my life in later years.
“There were 40 egos in there and some of them monstrous. It wasn’t all roses. Liz Dawn and I didn’t get on.”
Simon has previously told the Mirror how his partying caused him to miss days at work.
He said: “I’d be two hours late. Other times I’d not be there at all. I didn’t take it seriously and didn’t want to be there.”
