Twelve-year-old Will Flanagan joined Coronation Street in 2017 as Chesney Brown and Katy Armstrong's son Joseph, taking over the role from another young actor.
Now a fan favourite, the young Leeds-born star has revealed what it's like working on the hit ITV soap with the likes of Sam Aston (who plays Chesney) – and told us what happens on set if he forgets a line.
Will is one of three Flanagan siblings working on soaps, with twin sister Bella playing Hope Dodds alongside him in Corrie, and older sister Amelia, 15, playing Emmerdale's April Windsor.
Much like young Will, his on-screen dad Sam Aston, 30, joined the cast as a child 20 years ago, celebrating the special anniversary last month.
‘My 3 kids are all TV stars on Emmerdale and Corrie but I’m not a pushy parent’
On working so closely with Sam, Will said: "He’s lovely. He always understands if I’ve forgotten a line or something, and he’s really calm and down to earth.
"He’s just a really nice person and when we have to improvise it’s easy because we understand each other."
Speaking to OK! last month about his own feelings about working on the cobbles for so long, Sam said the show had been a "huge part" of his life.
"All my big milestones so far in life, Corrie's been there. It's been a huge part of my life," he shared. "For anyone who's a fan of Corrie, or Chesney, thank you very much, I appreciate the support."
Will's character Joseph was born in 2011 but moved to Portugal with his mum Katy Armstrong four years later. He was then brought back to Weatherfield following Katy's death in a car crash – which is when Will was cast in the role.
He now lives at number 5 Coronation Street with dad Chesney, stepmum Gemma and their quadruplets. The couple's on-screen wedding – with Gemma dressed in her iconic orange dress – was a highlight of Will's time on the show, he revealed
"I was all dressed up in a suit and there were lots of people that I don’t usually have scenes with," he said. "It was a long day but nice."
Will and his twin sister Bella, who plays Joseph's cousin Hope Dodds on Corrie, joined the cast within a few months of each other back in 2017, creating a bit of a logistical nightmare for their parents Rachel and Chris.
Having three kids in primetime shows is no walk in the park, they told OK!.
Dad Chris revealed: Quite often it’s leaving the house at 6am and maybe not getting back home until much later in the day, or back to school and then back here. It took us a while to get used to the filming schedules because they’ll be filming summer in early spring, and it’s still freezing, then filming Christmas when it’s still warm because it’s only September.
"They do it all and just take it in their stride. Amelia doesn’t know any different really, she’s been in Emmerdale for two thirds of her life."
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