ITV Coronation Street Roy Cropper star David Neilson's life - ice cream salesman to rarely-seen wife

David Neilson, who plays the beloved character Roy Cropper in Coronation Street, has a life that's almost as eventful as his on-screen persona.

Recently, Roy found himself under suspicion for the murder of Lauren Bolton, whose mysterious disappearance has kept viewers on edge. Since Roy's arrest a few weeks ago, his loyal friends have been battling against the shocking allegations.

The storyline is set to take another dark twist, with innocent Roy facing charges for Lauren's murder. The quirky yet deeply compassionate cafe owner could face a heartbreaking exit from the show as fans may need to bid farwell to the icon.

As uncertainty surrounds Roy's future, we delve into actor David's life beyond the Roy's Rolls counter, including his marriage to a wife who has significantly influenced his most famous character....

Life before the Cobbles

Born in Loughborough, David trained as an actor at the esteemed Central School of Speech and Drama. While establishing his career, the now 75-year-old held various jobs, including roles as a gas fitter, plumber, ice cream salesman, and barman, reports the Mirror.

Before joining the cast of Corrie, David had an impressive theatre career, including writing and directing plays and teaching drama at Rose Bruford. He also starred in two Mike Leigh films - Life Is Sweet and Secrets and Lies.

In 1995, David landed the role of Roy, which quickly made him a household name - despite only being signed up for six episodes. Interestingly, Roy was initially written into the soap as a temporary character who was more creepy than caring towards Deirdre Barlow.

However, David brought empathy to Roy's social awkwardness, transforming him from a menace to a beloved character who stayed on the show much longer than expected. Roy has since been central to some of the soap's most touching storylines, providing David with the stable career he'd always wanted.

Join the Daily Record's WhatsApp community here and get the latest news sent straight to your messages.

Speaking about how the role of Roy changed his life in an interview with the Warrington Guardian, David said: "When bills arrive I don't panic and when I'm in the supermarket I don't have anxiety about what I put in the basket. I think that's the best bit actually. I was 46 when I went into the show and I had my friends and life sorted so it offered me a bit of ease. But building a character over two decades has been fascinating."

David's loving wife who helped shape his character

Roy and his wife Hayley became one of Coronation Street's most beloved couples, leaving the nation in tears when Hayley chose to end her life on her own terms after a terminal pancreatic cancer diagnosis.

Off-screen, actor David Neilson has been happily married to Jane Neilson for over half a century. Jane's influence has been instrumental in developing Roy's character into someone much more complex and intriguing.

In a 2009 interview with the Mirror, David disclosed that he had quietly given Roy autistic traits, acknowledging Jane's insights as a special needs teacher.

David shared: "Roy was a psychopath. He was stalking Deirdre and was a bit scary. It's nice to play psychos but they don't stay around too long."

He continued, crediting his wife: "My wife is a special needs teacher and she worked with people with autism. She said Roy could have Asperger's syndrome, making him socially inept, rather than menacing. Nobody really knew what Asperger's was back in 1995, so it's my wife I owe it to."

David added: "It's never mentioned in the story though and it shouldn't be Roy is a human being, and a label doesn't help him. But I think he's got it. It gives him reasons for his behaviour and gives me something to play. I enjoy idiosyncrasies in people and Roy is full of them."

David and Jane are parents to their adult son, Daniel, and cherish their role as grandparents to two young granddaughters.

Sunny escapes

David Neilson has also spoken candidly about his need for anonymity away from the cameras. Having risen to fame in 2002, the actor revealed that he now splits his time between Spain and England with wife Jane to maintain a sense of normality.

Speaking to the Mirror, David explained: "I need to get away from Roy and be myself and they don't know Roy in Barcelona. If I'm in Spain for a few days I forget what I do for a living, which is the important thing."

He continued: "It means when I come back and someone shouts 'Roy', for a moment I forget they're actually talking to me. And it's only a couple of hours on the plane so I can commute to Manchester easily enough."

Echoing Roy's passion for knowledge, David shared another reason for their move abroad: "Another reason we moved was for excitement. I like to do different things and it's been good to learn a language and get into a different culture. Our son Daniel had left for university and we were in Bristol in a big house and we thought, 'What shall we do?"

Coronation Street is shown on ITV1 at 8pm every Monday, Wednesday and Friday.

Get the latest celebrity gossip and telly news sent straight to your inbox. Sign up to our daily Showbiz newsletter here.