Chris Gascoyne

English actor

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Chris Gascoyne

Gascoyne in November 2022

Born|

Chris Gascoyne

(1968-01-31) 31 January 1968 (age 56)

Sutton-in-Ashfield, Nottinghamshire, England

Alma mater| Royal Central School of Speech and Drama
Occupation| Actor
Years active| 1983–present
Known for| Role of Peter Barlow in Coronation Street (2000–2003, 2007–2023)
Spouse| Caroline Harding (m. 2002)
Children| 3

Chris Gascoyne (born 31 January 1968)[1] is an English film, theatre and television actor. He is best known for his role as Peter Barlow in the soap opera Coronation Street. Making his first appearance in December 2000 during a live, 50 minute episode for the show's 40th anniversary.

## Early life[edit]

Gascoyne was born on 31 January 1968 in Sutton-in-Ashfield, Nottinghamshire, England and grew up in a working class family.[2] Both his grandfathers worked down the mines and his father Derrik was a greengrocer and florist who later became a milkman.[3]

Gascoyne also spent a significant part of his early life in Gateshead in the North East living with his mother and grandparents. He was very close to his grandfather, Tom and Irish grandmother, Kitty. They later came to live with the family in Sutton-in-Ashfield after his grandmother was diagnosed with early onset dementia and his grandfather's failing health.[4]

As a teenager, Gascoyne later became a member of the Central Workshop in Nottingham and subsequently gained a place at the Central School of Speech and Drama in Swiss Cottage, London, from 1989-1992. Other notable actors in his year were: Susan Lynch, Julian Rhind-tutt and Danny Sapani. During his time as a student at Central, he worked as a supermarket shelf stacker and Pizza Delivery driver in Hammersmith.[5]

## Career[edit]

Gascoyne began his career at the Central Workshop and at the age of 15 where he began appearing in such shows as The Secret Diary of Adrian Mole, The Growing Pains of Adrian Mole and The Bill[6]

One of his earliest roles was as Judd on Central TV's children's program Murphy's Mob, also performing in the Central Television series for schools Starting Out, released in 1988. Since then, he has acted in numerous television dramas, including playing opposite Warren Clarke in The Locksmith and Timothy Spall in The Thing About Vince. He has also had roles in Between the Lines and made an appearance in Murdoch Mysteries as David Jennings.[2] An appearance in Casualty is also another one of Gascoyne's credits.[2] He also appeared as Fusilier Tony Rossi in Soldier Soldier.[2][7] While working in film Gascoyne played the part of a New York Cop in My Last Five Girlfriends starring Michael Sheen.[citation needed]

Gascoyne was cast in the role of Peter Barlow, the seventh actor to portray the role, in Coronation Street.[2] His original spell occurred between 2000 and 2003, before making a brief return in 2007. During his absence after leaving in 2003, Gascoyne joined the cast of BBC drama New Street Law as Al Ware in 2006.[7] He returned the following year on a permanent basis, making his on-screen return on 30 October 2008.[8] Gascoyne took a four-month break in July 2012,[9] before leaving at the end of his contract in November 2014.[10] He returned briefly in 2015 following the death of his co-star Anne Kirkbride,[11][12] with Gascoyne stating, "Coming back was like a healing process, we laughed a lot".[12] He returned once again on a permanent basis in October 2016.[13]

On 10 July 2023, ITV confirmed that Gascoyne will be leaving the soap after playing Peter Barlow after 23 years, to pursue other acting projects and to spend more time with his family.

### Theatre Work[edit]

Gascoyne has worked extensively in the theatre, accepting his first professional role at the age of 18, at the Nottingham Playhouse. After graduating from Central, he joined the Richard Ayre Company at The National Theatre where he performed in The David Hare Trilogy, including Racing Demon, Murmuring Judges and the Absence of War (alongside John Thaw, Michael Bryant and Mark Strong).[14] He appeared twice at The Royal Court Theatre first playing the role of Patsy in David Storey's The Changing Room, as part of the Royal Court Classic Season. He then went on to play the lead role of Jimmy, a cab driver, in Simon Stephens first play Bluebird (directed by Gordon Anderson). He also played the lead part in a new play titled The Ribcage at The Royal Exchange Theatre in Manchester (also directed by Gordon Anderson).

More recently, Gascoyne played Ray Say in Jim Cartwright's classic, The Rise and Fall of Little Voice at the West Yorkshire Playhouse/ Birmingham Repertory Theatre. He then went on to play Clov in Samuel Beckett's Endgame directed by Domonic Hill in a co-production between the Glasgow Citizen's theatre and HOME Manchester, playing opposite fellow Coronation Street actor, David Nielson.[15] Gascoyne was quoted saying: "Beckett is for everyone, not just middle-class intellectuals."[15]

## Personal life[edit]

Gascoyne married Caroline Harding in 2003. He has three children.[2]

## Filmography[edit]

### Film[edit]

Year  | Title  | Role  | Notes

|
|
|

2009  | My Last Five Girlfriends | Detective Lister

### Television[edit]

Year  | Title  | Role  | Notes

|
|
|

1983, 1988  | Dramarama | Young Lord Towers / John  | 2 episodes
1985  | The Secret Diary of Adrian Mole | Barry Kent  | 4 episodes
1987  | The Growing Pains of Adrian Mole | 2 episodes
1988  | Hard Cases | Michael Joseph Watkinson
1989  | Starting Out | Mike Williams  | Episode: "A Piece of the Cake"
1989–2007  | Casualty | Various roles  | 5 episodes
1991–1997  | The Bill | 3 episodes
1993  | Between the Lines | Nottle  | Episode: "Some Must Watch"
1995  | Peak Practice | Joe Rawlings  | Episode: "Giving Up"
1997  | The Locksmith | Barry Forrester  | 6 episodes
1997  | Soldier Soldier | Fus Tony Rossi  | 11 episodes
1998  | Duck Patrol | Nick Sampson  | Episode: "Duck Turpin"
2000  | The Thing About Vince | Monk  | 3 episodes
2000–2003,

2007–2023

| Coronation Street | Peter Barlow | 1,584 episodes
2001  | A Touch of Frost | Dr. Bill Hughes  | 2 episodes
2004  | A Thing Called Love | Robbie Gibson  | Episode: "True Confessions"
2005  | Where the Heart Is | Pete  | Episode: "Peaches and Cream"
2006  | The Royal | Brian Harris  | Episode: "Fever"
2006–2007  | New Street Law | Al Ware  | 14 episodes
2008  | Murdoch Mysteries | David Jennings  | Episode: "The Prince and the Rebel"
2009  | Blue Murder | Alan Gaskell  | Episode: "Having It All"
2010  | Coronation Street: Tram Crash | Peter Barlow  | Television film
2016  | Moving On | Uncle Loz  | Episode: "Eighteen"
2025  |  The Feud | Lee  | Filming [16]

## Awards and nominations[edit]

Year  | Award  | Category  | Result  | Ref

|
|
|
|

2010 | British Soap Awards | Best Actor | Nominated |
Best Dramatic Performance | Nominated |
2011 | Best Actor | Nominated | [17]
All About Soap Awards | Nominated | [18]
2012 | British Soap Awards | Nominated | [19]

## References[edit]

1. ^ "Peter Barlow". ITV. Archived from the original on 27 January 2013. Retrieved 19 August 2010.
2. ^ a b c d e f "5 minutes with... Chris Gascoyne". TalkTalk Group. Archived from the original on 28 January 2010. Retrieved 19 August 2010.
3. ^ "I need to remind myself to live a little every day". Glasgow Times. 24 January 2016. Retrieved 25 June 2023.
4. ^ Crook, Amanda (14 September 2009). "How my gran battled dementia - Chris Gascoyne". Manchester Evening News. Retrieved 25 June 2023.
5. ^ Rodrigues, Charlotte (15 January 2019). "10 Facts about Coronation Street's Chris Gascoyne - the actor who plays Peter Barlow". Entertainment Daily. Retrieved 25 June 2023.
6. ^ Cox, Phoebe (12 January 2023). "10 famous faces from Nottingham's prestigious television workshop". Workshop Guardian. pp. 1–3. Retrieved 6 December 2023.
7. ^ a b "New Street Law – Characters & Actors". BBC. Retrieved 19 August 2010.
8. ^ Green, Kris (16 December 2008). "Chris Gascoyne (Peter Barlow, Corrie)". Digital Spy. Retrieved 19 August 2010.
9. ^ Millar, Paul (25 May 2012). "'Coronation Street' stars Chris Gascoyne, Alison King to take break". Digital Spy. Retrieved 24 August 2012.
10. ^ "Corrie's Tony 'a man with an edge'". Digital Spy. 11 January 2014.
11. ^ "Coronation Street: Deirdre's final farewell revealed following death of Anne Kirkbride". 10 May 2015.
12. ^ a b "Corrie: Bev to return for Deirdre's funeral". Digital Spy. 12 May 2015.
13. ^ Coronation Street is bringing back Peter Barlow... and two other members of the family
14. ^ "How the Street led Corrie star Gascoyne to Beckett". HeraldScotland. 26 January 2016. Retrieved 30 April 2023.
15. ^ a b Ross, Peter (13 January 2016). "Last orders in the Rovers Return: Corrie stars do Beckett's Endgame". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 30 April 2023.
16. ^ Duke, Simon. "Channel 5 drama The Feud takes over Jarrow as Jill Halfpenny and Derry Girls star spotted". Chronicle Live. Retrieved 13 May 2024.
17. ^ "British Soap Awards 2011 shortlist revealed". Digital Spy. 18 April 2011.
18. ^ Kilkelly, Daniel (27 March 2011). "In Full: All About Soap Bubble winners". Digital Spy. Retrieved 19 April 2012.
19. ^ "British Soap Awards: Shortlist revealed". Digital Spy. 5 April 2012.

## External links[edit]

* Chris Gascoyne at IMDb