Good Morning Britain viewers were left quite baffled as former Coronation Street star Robert James-Collier appeared on the show. The actor joined Kate Garraway and Ed Balls on the ITV news programme to chat about his latest project.
He was on hand to promote the second season of Netflix’s dark fantasy series Fate: The Winx Saga. But when the former soap star, who plays Liam Connor in Corrie from 2006 to 2008, was asked to describe the show for those who may not have seen it before, he went off on a bit of a tagent.
Rob, 46, from Salford, shared with the hosts how he had gone to his son Milo, who is celebrating his 13th birthday today, for advice on the question, which he says he was expecting them to ask.
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Sharing what his teen son said, Rob commented: "He went, 'Don’t worry about it, I’ll give you something to say,' and then he told me what to say. I thought it was magical! I’m gonna read it out now, if I may?
"I thought, 'We’ve done something right here, he’s said something beautiful'. It might make some of the nation cry, so if I may, I’m just gonna read what he told me to say in response to the question, 'Why should people watch Fate: The Winx Saga?'
"Not that anyone can afford to at the minute, 'cause of the energy crisis! First point, 'It’s about fairies, innit?' That’s his first point. Second point from Milo was, 'It’s just like Harry Potter with an American twist.'"
The Downton Abbey star then joked: "Thanks a lot Milo, no birthday presents for you! Useless! He’s getting nothing after that, he should have said something insightful! I opted to come here to publicise this show rather than be at home on my son’s birthday. I’m a bad parent!"
Then later, when quizzed on Downton Abbey, in which he is known for portraying Thomas Barrow, he was asked about always being tied to the period drama. Not really answering, he replied: "No, not at home. Everyone just calls me dad."
And before the end of his time on the show, he heaped praise on GMB’s showbiz producer, calling for her to get a role in front of the camera before ranting about one of the show's crew members, called Josh, over an interaction they had prior to him appearing live on the programme.
"Can I just say, your lovely guy who took me down here today, Josh, he’s a Downton Abbey fan," he said. "I said, 'Josh, who’s your favourite?', bearing in mind that I’m stood right in front of him. You know what Josh said? He didn't think in the moment and go, 'Thomas of course!' He went, 'Lady Mary', so I thought, 'Good, I’ll be second', and then he went, 'O’Brien was good!' She left in series three!
"The fact is, I wasn’t on his list of favourite characters, and he didn’t even lie about me being on it. He’s a lovely man though, got great energy."
And as the interview unfolded, GMB viewers were flocking to social media to comment. @scoach78000 tweeted: "Robert James Collier was all over the place there. One of the maddest interviews I have ever seen."
@0Brittin added: "Wow, Robert James Collier. What a whirlwind... defo gonna watch that Fairy show he's in, and fell like I should revisit Downton, too #GMB."
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