Ben Driscoll may look like the perfect new addition to Weatherfield, a cheeky, charming landlord deeply in love with Eva Price but life on Coronation Street rarely stays simple for long. As the Driscoll family settles in, cracks begin to show behind Ben’s easy-going smile, hinting that stormier days might lie ahead.
A Long Road to the Cobbles
For Aaron McCusker, joining Coronation Street as Ben Driscoll marks the end of a long journey filled with determination and near misses. The Shameless and Hope Street star revealed that he auditioned for five different parts before finally being cast as Ben. Aaron explained that this was his sixth attempt to land a role on the soap and that his excitement was through the roof when he got the call.
McCusker said that not all his previous auditions were for major roles, one of them had been for a short 14-episode arc. But his agent had told him something that stuck. The producers loved him and wanted to hold out for something bigger. That moment came when he learned he’d been chosen to play the new landlord of the Rovers Return. Aaron said that when he heard the news, he immediately thought there was nothing bigger in Coronation Street than that iconic role.
Settling Into Life on the Street
Aaron admitted that one of the biggest joys of his new job was the stability it brought. As a husband and father of three, he said he had spent long periods away from home. On one occasion, he had gone nine weeks without seeing his family. So, the chance to have a full-time job where he could stay home and drive into work each day felt like a dream come true. He added that it still hadn’t fully sunk in for him that he’d finally made it onto the show.
What makes Ben stand out, Aaron shared, is his lack of the usual Corrie baggage. He doesn’t come with dark secrets or hidden agendas. Instead, he’s genuinely in love with Eva and is focused on building a strong, healthy relationship. That’s not to say the storyline won’t include a fair dose of classic Corrie humour, especially when Ben crosses paths with David Platt. Aaron mentioned that Jack P. Shepherd, who plays David, reached out to welcome him and made a great effort to make him feel at home.
The actor expressed that he’d love to see Ben strike up a friendship with Roy Cropper too. Aaron added that while things have been busy, he prefers it that way. Now, he feels grateful for how naturally Ben’s storylines have unfolded so far. Aaron did tease, however, that not everything will remain smooth for Ben and Eva. Stay tuned to Soap Opera Daily for all the latest Coronation Street news, spoilers, and updates straight from the cobbles.