Alan Halsall has admitted that one of the things he’ll find hardest to be without is his work.
The Coronation Street actor considers himself fortunate to have been a part of the ITV soap opera for a quarter of a century and finds the idea of life without it unthinkable.
Having joined the Corrie cast in 1998, Alan has become an integral part of the soap, making his stint in the jungle a significant shift from his daily routine in Manchester.
Speaking with the Mirror, he revealed his sentiments: “I’m super close to my family and my friends and there are lots of things I’m going to miss. I’m going to miss work. I love my job, I love going into work, I love the people.”
Explaining the depth of his connection, he said, “It is a very difficult thing to put into words, kind of just how big a thing it is in my life. It has been a huge part of my life for just over 26 years now.”
“And I love the show. It’s not just the show, it’s the people, the people that you see on screen, but the people behind the cameras, the crew, storyliners, writers, people that I’ve known for that whole time.”, reports Lancs Live.
“I’m in a job that’s different every day that I still love and I love waking up in the morning, thinking I’m going to work. So I feel very blessed for that.”
At 42 years old, Alan also shared his concerns about facing the challenges in the jungle, especially after a knee injury – a ruptured ACL – which set back his appearance by a year. Despite this, the show’s producers retained confidence in his potential as a strong addition to the campmate lineup for the 2024 season.
His additional concern is for his 11 year old daughter Sienna, who was initially reluctant about him joining the show due to the significant time apart it would entail; the longest they have ever faced. However, he’s optimistic that she will be grinning once the show airs and she can see him on TV.
Following his split from former wife Lucy-Jo Hudson in 2018, with whom he welcomed Sienna in 2013, Alan remarked: “I don’t think many people in my life get to see just how emotional I generally am about Sienna. I have nowhere to hide now for the next few weeks. We’ll let’s see how that goes.”
“It was much, much harder than I thought and I fully appreciate that it’s a couple of weeks away but to Sienna at her age, I’m on the other side of the world, she doesn’t get to see me and speak to me on the phone and stuff.”
“It wasn’t the show, it had nothing to do with that. I actually think she’ll really love that and to see me covered in creepy crawlies or whatever else they’re going to do to me in the show.”
“It was simply the case that I’ll be gone for a few weeks and that was really difficult. So yeah, I think once I get to be on screen, hopefully she can watch it with a smile on her face and have a good laugh at dad and hopefully, dad doesn’t embarrass her too much.”
I’m a Celebrity… Get Me Out of Here! returns to ITV1 and ITVX at 9pm on Sunday, November 17