Coronation Street's Gary Windass, played by Mikey North, is set to face serious injuries and a fight for survival behind bars, as his eight-month prison sentence takes a harrowing turn. The actor has revealed that Gary will encounter a hellish cellmate and the sinister presence of Ross, Tyrone's sociopathic father, who works as a prison officer.
Gary's prison experience
Mikey North acknowledged that Gary is not new to prison, having served time before, and described him as 'a seasoned professional at this rate.' However, the actor warned that prison is 'never going to be an easy ride,' especially with the introduction of Gary's cellmate Jonesy, played by Carl Rice. 'Jonesy is a great character, and Carl Rice plays him brilliantly. There's going to be lots coming up with Gary having to protect himself inside,' North said.
Gary is locked up shortly after Sarah Platt (Tina O'Brien) is released following her not guilty verdict over the killing of Theo. Guilty of concealing a weapon, Gary reportedly holds little animosity towards his ex. North explained: 'Obviously he thinks that she didn't deserve to go down so he's probably quite relieved on that front, but he's having to foot the blame for it. But I guess in the grand scheme of things, eight months, it could have been a lot worse!'
Ross's dangerous interest
The plot thickens with Ross, the character responsible for raping Cassie and grooming his estranged son Tyrone, taking a specific interest in Gary. North said: 'Gary finds it really strange and doesn't quite know what's going on. Ross's behaviour and some of the things he says are quite odd. Gary doesn't want to repel against him too much too quickly because he thinks Ross might look after him in there, but Gary is definitely skeptical and taken aback.'
Between Ross and Jonesy, nightmares will unfold for Gary, turning into a fight for survival, with North warning of violence ahead. 'The amount of hours I've spent in makeup getting injuries put on! Gary's surely done the most fight scenes in the history of Coronation Street and he's probably about to add to it in some serious numbers,' he said.
Maria's role and Gary's future
North also praised his co-star Samia Longchambon, who plays Maria, for her portrayal of a 'spiky, drunk Maria,' which he called 'the best version of Maria.' He noted that Maria's rampages might make Gary's situation worse, but he enjoys the dynamic between the couple. 'I like it when Maria and Gary have scenes that are a bit more tactile and not just about drama,' he said.
Despite the prison ordeal, North suggested that Gary and Maria's relationship will survive and might even grow stronger. 'They've been through an awful lot, and how they survive, I'll never know, but it makes it fun and interesting!' he added.
