Richard Thorp was ‘too posh’ for Coronation Street

Richard Thorp better known as Emmerdale’s Alan Turner has told ATV Today that he once auditioned for Coronation Street, but was turned down.

“I went up to audition to play the part of Harry Bates, who was to be a boyfriend of Rita and rival to Len Fairclough.” Richard said, adding “the producers said that I wasn’t right to play the role as I was ‘too posh’ for the part.” He told ATV Today.

Richard had been ITV’s first self-made heartthrob when he joined ATV’s Emergency Ward 10 in 1957, six weeks after it went to air. He stayed for seven years, including a spell as the star of a spin-off series. “Back then you couldn’t get on television in a main role if you didn’t speak ‘proper English’ these days you can’t get any work if you talk posh” He adds.

That doesn’t stop Richard, who will be 80 in January, from having ambitions. “I’d love a part in New Tricks. Isn’t it a wonderful show? It has such a great cast line up, I’d really like to be in that.” He however also shares his love of Emmerdale, of which he’s the current longest serving cast member, “I’m not sure why they keep me on, but I love doing Emmerdale and I’ll do it for as long as they want me.” he told ATV, joking “however I’m not that much older than William Roach (Ken Barlow in Coronation Street) and look at the difference!” He laughs. “William looks about 50, I wish I had as much hair.”

What about other soaps, does he have time to watch ‘rivals’? “I rather confess to watching EastEnders from time to time, I do enjoy it.” However the BBC saga is a reminder of a happy time during the sixties.“I was in a series made by ATV called Honey Lane, which was set in an East End street. I played Martin Pruner who was the market inspector. Honey Lane really was the forerunner to EastEnders.”

Emmerdale has become more ‘gritty’ in the last 20 years, notably the recent assisted suicide storyline concerning the characters of Aaron and Jackson gaining many press inches. “Isn’t Danny Miller an excellent actor?” Richard asks, and then adds, “And Marc Silcock too, they both were brilliant with that storyline.”

Richard has been ‘told off’ by gay friends of his eldest daughter who keep telling him that the show isn’t reflecting a real impression of the world for gay people.

“One said to me a village as small as Emmerdale would have homophobic elements. Alan would be unimpressed and say something, wouldn’t he? As would Betty and Edna. This gay guy said it is a shame to make out the homophobia doesn’t exist as it does  go on daily in the ‘real world’ and it would be good to show we still have bridges to cross.” Richard is however aware that controversial days of soap seem to be diminishing. “If I, as Alan said, ‘Yuk, that’s disgusting’ [upon two men kissing] it would bring in too many complaints.”

He’s right of course when characters in Coronation Street and EastEnders have appeared homophobic the respective producers have been inundated with complaints. It does however seem, as Richard notes, a recent cutting back of controversy. He recalls his Emergency Ward 10 days often saw taboo storylines for the time and questioning of society to help break down TV boundaries within the programme. “We had a lot of black patients and so forth, and that interracial kiss.” He told ATV Today. Speaking of kissing, he’d love for Alan Turner to find romance again, however he isn’t holding out much hope. “I’m too old for bonking apparently” he muses and agrees that it would maybe be nice for the character of Shelly, a recent love, to return. “They never found her body did they?” The character having been pushed over the side of a ferry.

Richard is currently writing his autobiography and hopes to have it completed next year. We’ll have a more detailed interview with Richard online nearer the time of the book launch.