Coronation Street Star Simon Gregson's Off-Screen Romance with Soap Actress
Coronation Street's Simon Gregson, who has portrayed the iconic character Steve McDonald since 1989, leads a dramatically different personal life compared to his on-screen persona. While Steve McDonald has navigated a tumultuous romantic history, including seven marriages to five women, Gregson is happily married to actress Emma Gleave, with whom he shares three children.
A Chance Meeting at a Christmas Party
Simon Gregson and Emma Gleave first crossed paths in 2010 at the Coronation Street Christmas party, an event hosted by Gregson's co-star Beverley Callard. Gleave, who had a role on Hollyoaks and later ran a cleaning company, was invited as a guest. Their connection was immediate, leading to a whirlwind romance.
Simon proposed just six weeks into their relationship, a decision he described as instinctual. In a 2014 interview with the Mirror, he recalled, "I was sat in the bath and she was in the bedroom and I asked her, I just knew I wanted to be with her. She was so beautiful and we laughed all the time. She brought a lot more laughter into my life and proper friendship, someone you could rely on."
A Joyous Wedding and Family Life
The couple exchanged vows in November 2010 at St Bartholomew's church in Wilmslow, Cheshire. The ceremony was attended by several Coronation Street stars, including Jack P Shepherd (David Platt), Jane Danson (Leanne Battersby), Chris Bisson (Vik), Alan Halsall (Tyrone), and Michelle Keegan (Tina McIntyre), along with family and friends.
Since their marriage, Gregson and Gleave have welcomed three sons: Alfie, Harry, and Henry. Emma Gleave has shared insights into their private life, revealing during Gregson's stint on I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here in 2021 that he is a talented poet and is writing a children's book. She told the Mirror, "Nobody knows but Simon is a poet. He's always writing, he keeps books at the end of the bed so when he can't sleep, he'll have a dream or he'll have a thought and will write it down. His poetry is brilliant, he's a really good poet. He's also writing a children's book. He started during lockdown and was also doing it whilst he was isolating before he went on I'm A Celebrity."
Contrasting On-Screen and Off-Screen Lives
On Coronation Street, Steve McDonald continues to be a central figure, recently dealing with the off-screen death of his father Jim, whose funeral aired this week. Gregson's long tenure on the show has made him a soap icon, involved in numerous major storylines over the decades.
However, away from the cobbles, Gregson's life is marked by stability and happiness with his family. This stark contrast highlights the actor's ability to separate his professional role from his personal bliss, making his real-life romance a heartwarming tale for fans.
Coronation Street airs Monday to Friday at 8:30pm on ITV1 and ITVX.
