Actor John Thomson has admitted that “surviving is tough” after a difficult year of struggling to find work. The performer, whose credits range from Coronation Street to Death in Paradise, has gone from being forced to turn down roles to struggling to make ends meet.
Though John is appearing in new Channel 4 rom-com Break Clause, he has also faced the cancellation of two regular jobs. He told The Telegraph that his two regular voiceover gigs – narrating Channel 5 show Bargain-Loving Brits in the Sun and adverts for Carpetright – were axed in 2026.
From feast to famine
“Work is what I relish. Last year was amazing, I was even having to turn down jobs, which I felt terrible about. But this has not been a good year – very, very quiet. Surviving it is tough,” he said.
The Cold Feet star previously spent time in rehab for alcoholism and was diagnosed with ADHD, but has bounced back each time. He told the publication that he lost work because of the damage done to his reputation in the papers after his battle with alcoholism.
Blame and the changing industry
John said he would like to sue for “negative exposure, for the work I lost because of it. It stuck for ages. It felt like sober people were waiting for that day when I would come off the wagon.”
John previously opened up about going without an acting job for six months, explaining on the Scarred for Life podcast: “Last year was feast, this year famine. I haven’t done a single acting job for six months.
“It’s hard now. No-one has got any money. The thing is, that commercial stations that rely on advertising, everybody has switched to platforms where you just pay subscriptions. If you want to advertise your product, why would you pick a commercial station that people are kind of tuning out of? You’re not getting the views.”
