Actor Calum Lill is taking a well-deserved break to travel part of the world after previously revealing the extent of the work on his role
Former Coronation Street star Calum Lill is taking a well-deserved break to travel part of the world after previously revealing the extent of his gruelling soap role.
Fans of the ITV soap Weatherfield’s biggest-ever whodunnit was seen coming to a dramatic end back in Novemeber as Joel Deering’s killer was revealed – and it was a joint effort to off the dastardly solicitor.
Joel, played by Calum, arrived onto the cobbles in September 2023 as a charming solicitor who Dee-Dee Bailey soon fell head over heels in love with. But under his smooth exterior Joel was hiding a dark secret – a penchant for younger, underprivileged girls – including Lauren Bolton.
Joel later became public enemy number one and as Lauren, Dee-Dee Bailey and DS Lisa Swain all rallied to bring him down after the truth was finally revealed. However, it was no surprise when Joel disappeared. But when his body was found following an apparent suicide, the police soon discovered that someone had in fact murdered Joel.
It was confirmed he’d been killed with a heavy weapon before entering the water and several Weatherfield residents were put in the frame – Dee-Dee, her father Ed, her uncle Ronnie, Mason Radcliffe, Lisa, Carla Connor, DC Kit Green and finally Max Turner and Lauren Bolton.
It was then revealed that in an eventful night for Joel, after Ronnie and Ed went after him with a crowbar, he was attacked by scorned ex Dee-Dee, threatened by Kit and pushed into the river by Max. But not before Lauren had delivered the killer blow amidst their train track confrontation.
After ditching the cobbles for a role in panto at the end of last year, Calum is now enjoying sunnier climes. Taking to Instagram on Wedesday (February 12), the soap star revealed that he has ditched the UK to go travelling around South East Asia. He took to Instagram to post a short reel which confirmed the start of his travels with his fiancée Roberta Mcclaron.
He said: “Day 1 of backpacking around Thailand.” And his followers were quick to send him well wishes for his travels. @lucy__hardy1 said; “I’ve Done Thailand 5 times. It’s the best!! Have a good time. Jealous.” @corrieluvsx commented: “Have the best time!!”
@carolferguson440 wrote: “Have the best time, and keep safe.” @tracy.c70 replied: “Definitely know that i am going to love each video of this trip, hope that you have an amazing time.” @deedee27_ posted: “Wow what an adventure. Have a great time.” @denni_ivy added: “Have a lovely time.”
It comes after Calum looked back with pride when he waved goodbye to the cobbles last year as he told the Manchester Evening News about the work he’d put in. “I hadn’t worked for two years before this and I really struggled to find my feet as I started,” the former Hollyoaks star explained. “For about six months, watching the episodes back I was beating myself up. I’d watch the episodes with my fiancée and I’d go upstairs and she’d know to leave me for a bit because I was beating myself up. It took that time to try and get into the character.
“I worked so hard. I know that there’s definitely better actors than me but I don’t think anybody else could have put in as much work as I did. Because I just said, if I can give this 100% and I leave and I don’t work for years, at least I know that there’s no more I could have done.
“For that, it was up at 5.30am, I’d come into work and would be in work for about 15 hours. I’d get home for about 10.30pm at night, I’d eat some food quickly and then I’d do another two hours of learning lines and then do it again for about three or four months when I was busy.
“Looking back, I’m finished and I can sleep now and I have time and I can see my friends. But that’s probably the happiest time I had, it was amazing. I am proud of my work, not necessarily because I think I’m great but because I’ve not had that opportunity to work that hard before.”
