Coronation Street's Jack Carroll reveals how he landed his role on the ITV soap and shares the show's 'clever' way of portraying cerebral palsy
Coronation Street newcomer Jack Carroll has revealed how he landed his role in the ITV soap.
The comedian, 25, plays the son of Carla Connor's brother Rob Donovan, called Bobby, on the Cobbles.
Jack was diagnosed with cerebral palsy at 16 months old – the result of brain damage that occurred during or shortly after birth, causing spastic diplegia, a disability that affected both of his legs.
Speaking on This Morning with hosts Rylan Clark and Josie Gibson on Thursday morning, Jack revealed how he landed the coveted role and how the soap is portraying the situation.
Jack said Corrie was something he had wanted to do for a long time – and he was helped by a 'couple of friends' on the writing staff.
Coronation Street newcomer Jack Carroll has revealed how he landed his role in the ITV soap
The comedian, 25, plays the son of Carla Connor's brother Rob Donovan, called Bobby, on the Cobbles
Since the team already knew him well, they were able to create a character that was very personal to him because they were already familiar with his sense of humor.
He then discussed how cerebral palsy has been depicted on the Cobbles and the “clever” way the producers explored it.
He said: 'I think the way they've done it and the portrayal of disability, they've done it in a very clever way.
“It's a facet of the character and there's a lot of other things going on. It also shows him as a human being, and that's a really important thing to do.”
Joining Corrie was a very surreal experience for Jack, who described starting as 'quite intimidating' and said there were 'big blockbuster' storylines on the way.
He continued, “It's bizarre! Walking past all these sets. It's very bizarre, but I hope this never leaves me.
'It's a huge privilege and I'm lucky to add it to my CV.'
Cerebral palsy is a lifelong condition that occurs when a baby's brain is deprived of oxygen during or shortly after birth.
Jack also shared the 'clever' way producers have explored cerebral palsy in the soap
The new character was described as 'a livewire chip off the old block, with the gift of the gab and an eye for the ladies'
In most cases this is due to a difficult delivery, but it can also occur as a result of an infection of the brain or head injury.
Those with the condition may experience problems with movement and coordination, as well as loss of speech, hearing and vision and spinal deformities, and may require lifelong care.
According to disability charity Scope, an estimated 1,800 children are diagnosed with cerebral palsy in Britain every year.
In 2020-2021, 281 cases of preventable cerebral palsy were reported – the highest number since 2010 and a fifth of the ten-year total.
In October last year it was announced that Jack would be joining the cast of Coronation Street in the new year.
According to Corrie boss Iain MacLeod, the new character will be at the heart of a number of dramatic scenes in Corrie after appearing out of nowhere.
Bobby's father Rob is serving a life sentence for the murder of popular resident Tina McIntyre.
The new character was described as “a livewire chip off the old block, with the gift of the gab and an eye for the ladies.”
The BGT star shot to fame when he made his debut in the seventh series of the ITV show with his iconic comedy routine
At the age of 14, Jack came second on Britain's Got Talent in 2013 to shadow theater group Attraction.
The stand-up comedian, who also appeared on Saturday Night at the London Palladium, was a hit with the judges and viewers.
Jack also appeared in Jason Manford's Funny Old Week and Live At the Apollo, as well as completing his first national live tour.
His acting career began shortly after his BGT stint when he starred in roles including the Ministry of Curious Stuff on CBBC, Trollied, Doctors and the role of Pete in the feature film Eaten By Lions.
He recently wrote and starred in his own short comedy Mobility.
Given his difficult arrival into the world, his achievements are all the more impressive.
Jack was born eleven weeks premature in October 1998, weighing just 3lbs 4oz.
His twin brother, Ben, sadly died at just one day old. Jack fought on and spent the first two months in an incubator.
Although his agile mind was evident from the start – he said his first word, “cheeky,” when he was just a few months old – his physical development was delayed.