Comic to play Carla Barlow’s nephew in ITV soap

Jack Carroll has joined the cast of Coronation Street.

The comic will be playing Bobby – the son of Carla Barlow’s killer brother Rob Donovan – in the ITV soap, with his first episodes due to air just after Christmas. 

Rob is in prison for the murder of Tina McIntyre and was unaware he had a son until recently – and hasn’t mentioned it to his sister.

The character has been described as a ‘livewire chip off the old block, with the gift of the gab and an eye for the ladies who ‘runs rings round his Aunty Carla’. ITV say that once he appears on the cobbles ‘it soon becomes evident that he plans on sticking around’.

Carroll, who began filming on the soap this week, said: ‘I'm delighted and honoured to be playing a part in the history of the cultural institution that is Coronation Street. I hope Bobby brings viewers a lot of laughs in the vein of some of the street's classic comedy characters.’

The Bradford-born  comic, who has cerebral palsy, shot to fame at 14 when he was the runner-up on the seventh series of Britain’s Got Talent in 2014.

He went on to appear on Saturday Night at the London Palladium, Jason Manford’s Funny Old Week and Live At the Apollo and has appeared in Sky comedy Trollied, BBC soap Doctors and played a lead role in the 2019 film comedy Eaten By Lions. 

Most recently he has written and starred in his own comedy short Mobility. 

He joins a long list of comedians who have appeared on the soap, including Peter Kay, Norman Wisdom, Sean Hughes and Max Wall. Earlier this month, Justin Moorhouse reprised his role as a local radio DJ. 

» Comedians who have appeared in Coronation Street

Published: 23 Oct 2023