Gary Windass is still lying in a hospital bed, unconscious, after disappearing from Coronation Street. Maria has been extremely worried, unsure of what happened to him. What has really puzzled everyone is the strange situation at the hospital. Someone has been telling the staff that Gary’s name is Chesney Brown. Just when fans started to question its significance, Mikey North, who plays Gary, revealed an unexpected real-life connection between the two characters.
The Disappearance That Started It All
It all began when Lou Michaelis threatened to expose secrets from Gary’s past, secrets that could ruin his marriage. Disturbed, Gary left Maria without saying where he was going. While she searched for answers, viewers learned the truth that Gary had been badly attacked and was now in a coma.
As if that weren’t enough drama, someone (whose identity is still unknown) started giving false information to the hospital. They claimed Gary’s name was Chesney. This twist left fans confused. Why pretend he’s Chesney Brown? Was it just a random cover-up, or was there something deeper?
The Real-Life Link In Coronation Street
Now we know it wasn’t random at all. On This Morning, Mikey North shared a fun behind-the-scenes story with hosts Cat Deeley and Ben Shephard. Long before he was cast as Gary, he actually auditioned to play Chesney’s half-brother.
“Many years ago I auditioned to play Chesney’s brother who came into [the soap] very briefly as a soldier, I think it was,” he said. He mentioned that he was probably a bit too young for that role, but it opened the door to something bigger. So even though Gary and Chesney have no family connection in the show, Mikey’s first step into the world of Corrie was through a role linked to Chesney. And now, years later, his character is being mistaken for Chesney on screen.
Will Mikey Not Be in Crossover?
Mikey didn’t stop there. He also discussed the upcoming Coronation Street and Emmerdale crossover episode. Although he’s not sure if Gary will be part of it, he said the idea is long overdue. “I’m not sure whether I’m involved in that or not yet,” he said, “but that’s going to be great.” He expressed surprise that the soaps had never done it before and looks forward to whatever the team creates.
Even though we have had fan speculations about Gary and Cain appearing in the crossover, but whether Gary wakes up in time for that crossover or not remains uncertain. Right now, his storyline is full of suspense, from who attacked him to why someone is trying to conceal his identity. Now that we know Mikey’s story, the use of Chesney’s name in this plot doesn’t seem so random after all.
Even if the writers didn’t plan it, there’s something oddly fitting about it. It’s a minor off-screen detail that longtime fans will definitely appreciate. Keep watching to see how it all unfolds, and stay tuned to Soap Opera Daily for more Coronation Street secrets and spoilers.
