Roy Cropper has become an iconic character on the long-running soap Coronation Street.
As a beloved cafe owner, Roy has warmed the hearts of fans with his endearing quirks and unwavering moral compass.
One of Roy's most notable relationships on the show was with his late wife Hayley. Their love story touched viewers around the world as they faced the challenges of Hayley's transgender identity and her battle with terminal cancer.
Beyond his romantic life, Roy often offers guidance and support to many characters on the street, becoming a trusted confidant and friend.
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Roy is played by actor David Neilson, who off screen has expressed gratitude for the opportunity to portray such an iconic character.
David Neilson first joined the cast of the soap back in 1995. Originally brought in as a secondary character, he was eventually made into a more permanent fixture by the show’s then-executive producer, Brian Park.
Fans were left concerned last month when they learned Roy was suffering from chest pains, with him being later diagnosed with angina and undergoing a life changing procedure.
While viewers of the ITV soap, which airs on Virgin Media in Ireland, worried for his health, and whether David was calling it a day for his character, they were elated to learn that he has no plans of leaving the cobbles just yet.
But aside from playing Roy for all these years, what else do we know about the 74-year-old? From the major role his wife played in the soap to his mother’s part on the show, here’s everything you need to know about the Coronation Street star’s life off screen.
Wife who helped develop Roy’s character
David’s wife Jane is a special needs teacher and throughout her career has worked with people with autism. According to David, she thought Roy could have Asperger’s syndrome, a form of autism, OK! reports.
Speaking about the subject to the Mirror back in 2009, the actor said: “I think he’s got it. It gives him reasons for his behaviour and gives me something to play with. I enjoy idiosyncrasies in people and Roy is full of them. Nobody really knew what Asperger’s was back in 1995, so it’s my wife I owe it to.”
He added: "It's never mentioned in the story though, and it shouldn't be - Roy is a human being, and a label doesn't help him."
Late mum inspired Roy's character
Many fans may not know that Roy’s iconic shopping bag was actually his late mother’s, who died months before he landed the role.
David has spoken openly about the prop in the past and revealed that when he was going through his mother’s things following her death, he thought the shopping bag would be a great addition to Roy’s character.
He has one child
David and Jane have been together for over four decades, and share a son, Daniel, 39.
Daniel also has two children of his own, making David and Jane proud grandparents.
Secret move to Spain
In 2002, David and Jane swapped their family home in the UK for sunnier Barcelona to escape the fame his character Roy brought him.
He told Mirror UK: “It was a shock. Occasionally I would be on television in something and someone would recognise me as an actor, but this was different. If you are in someone’s living room three times a week you become a member of the family, so I was surprised at first.”
By nature a private man who rarely gives interviews, David revealed he moved to Spain to try and escape the attention.
He shared: “I need to get away from Roy and be myself and they don’t know Roy in Barcelona. If I’m in Spain for a few days I forget what I do for a living, which is the important thing.
“It means when I come back and someone shouts ‘Roy’, for a moment I forget they’re actually talking to me. And it’s only a couple of hours on the plane so I can commute to Manchester easily enough.
“Another reason we moved was for excitement. I like to do different things and it’s been good to learn a language and get into a different culture. Our son Daniel had left for university [at the time] and we were in Bristol in a big house and we thought, ‘What shall we do?’”
Quite a lot, as it turned out. David has since completed an Open University degree, studied Spanish and learned to play the guitar.
He was in EastEnders, plus other shows before Corrie
It’s hard to imagine David in any other show, let alone a rival soap. However, in 1991 he had a small part in EastEnders, where he played the role of Mr Webster, who wanted to buy Nick Cotton’s house.
As well as this, he’s also appeared in shows like Casualty, Heartbeat and Young at Heart.
