Vic Reeves was offered a role in ‘Coronation Street’ a while back – but refused to call the show’s boss back because he was "too shy."
The 58-year-old comedian – real name is Jim Moir – will join the long-running soap as Colin next week but he has admitted he could have made an appearance before now if he’d taken up Kate Oates’ offer when she first approached him.
Speaking to Inside Soap magazine, he said: "I do this with everything – I kind of let things simmer and linger. I’d been asked by a previous producer if I would be interested, but then Kate Oates [the current boss] came to see me on tour and left a note on my dressing room door saying: ‘Would you like to be ‘Corrie’? Give me a ring!’ I bumped into her at some TV awards and she asked again, and finally I said: ‘Yes please!’ I’d received Kate’s note and I was up for doing it but I didn’t ring because I’m a bit shy like that."
And, although he’s only contracted until mid-October, Vic is hoping that his character will be a permanent fixture.
He explained: "Well, I’m in until mid-October, and after that I don’t really know what happens.
"I’m looking forward to finding out! I’ve spoken to people who came in for a week and stayed forever."
Not much is known about Vic’s character Colin but he has revealed he’s a very "creepy" lothario.
He added: "He’s a wheeler-dealer, very driven, and he works in marketing for a string of newsagents. Colin is kind of creepy – a bit of a lothario, and he wears these large suits, colourful shirts and pointy shoes. In my first scene, I had to drive a car outside the Kabin and stop. Those shoes have about 2.5in extra length beyond the toe, so I couldn’t operate the pedals! It was impossible!"