Nice-but-dim Kirk Sutherland is one of my favourite Coronation Street characters. Andy Whyment plays him with huge warmth and the kind of comic touch that is classic Corrie.
In a lovely long interview with the People yesterday he talked about what it's like being a new dad ("I'm really excited about being a dad and at the same time really nervous. But everyone says your instinct just kicks in, so we'll be fine") and how hard it was leaving his then heavily pregnant wife Nichola for three weeks while he was off in South Africa filming the spin-off DVD.
He also talks about how lucky he feels to have the job he does, and why he'll happily stay on the Street for as long as they want him...
"To still enjoy your job after eight years is something special," he says. "I have a great life at Coronation Street. It's 25 minutes from home, I get a lot of time off - it's fantastic." He worked very hard to become an actor, but he isn't ambitious for bigger things: "Hollywood just doesn't interest me. I don't enjoy the celebrity lifestyle and I don't go to all the awards ceremonies and parties - it's not my cup of tea. I'd rather go home and watch TV with my wife on the sofa. Don't get me wrong, I love acting, but I just class it as a job. I'm no better than someone working in Tesco - they're just the same as me."
Andy does have one ambition, though, and it's something that I would love to see come true - he wants Fiz and Kirk to get back together. "I'd love to see them grow old together like Jack and Vera Duckworth did. Forget Hollywood - that would be my ultimate dream."
I like Kirk and I hope he stays. But I think he needs a new direction as over the last few months he's been hanging around rather aimlessly.
They've not really explored his and Julie's relationship properly yet. Indeed over the last few weeks you'd hardly know they were an item as they've hardly been seen together.