Actor Calum Lill arrived on Coronation Street as Joel Deering back in 2023. The character was introduced as a duty solicitor helping Lauren Bolton, but he ended up becoming a permanent fixture in Weatherfield after striking up a romance with Dee-Dee Bailey.
Some residents grew suspicious of Joel however, including Alya Nazir, who soon went digging into his past. She revealed Joel actually had a secret wife and one year old daughter, leaving Dee-Dee heartbroken. He’s insisted he’s in the process of divorcing his estranged wife and is battling to see his young daughter, but it remains to be seen if Dee-Dee can forgive him for deceiving her.
It looks like Joel could be sticking around in Weatherfield if he manages to make amends with girlfriend Dee-Dee, which will definitely be welcome news to actor Calum. The soap star has been open about his struggles to land roles prior to getting his big break last year.
(Image: ITV)
Prior to joining the cast of Coronation Street, Calum was a car salesman – a job he previously admitted he “hated”. He confessed he thought he’d have to pack in acting after suffering setbacks in his career and failing to find long-lasting jobs.
“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’.”
(Image: Instagram @calumlill)
He worked on Doctors as well as Holby City after graduating, but when lockdown hit he was left without work, he told the Manchester Evening News. Calum bagged 12 episodes on Hollyoaks at the end of 2021, before going to work on a paella stall at festivals alongside Corrie alumni Jenny Platt and Rupert Hill, who played Violet Wilson and Jamie Baldwin in the soap.
He’d already unsuccessfully audition for Coronation Street at the time, but Jenny and Rupert encouraged him to hold onto some hope, telling him that the producers would be back in touch if they took a liking to him. Calum relocated to Manchester with his girlfriend and continued working alongside acting in a bid to save for a house.
He finally land the role of Joel on Corrie, leaving him feeling like he was “walking on air”. He admitted: “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.”
View news Source: https://www.ok.co.uk/tv/corrie-callum-lill-quit-acting-32607326
