Colson Smith is to release a documentary about his weight loss journey, after he slimmed down because he was so fed up with always being "the fat kid".
Colson Smith
The 'Coronation Street' actor embarked on a mission to shed some serious pounds at the end of 2019 after he assessed his relationship with food.
And while he has admitted the first coronavirus pandemic lockdown could've been the "perfect excuse" to go back to his old ways, it inspired him to ditch takeaways and lose weight, which has been a huge boost to his confidence and mental health.
Colson - who is to release documentary 'Bored Of Being The Fat Kid' on his YouTube channel - said: "I sat down in the back end of 2019 and said to myself, 'I'm going to make sure I can do this.'
"I always felt my role was to be 'the fat kid'.
"So I took it on and work were OK with it, and then in March [2020] the world changed with lockdown.
"It could've been the perfect excuse to knock it on the head, but it was the perfect opportunity to re-focus what was important for me and what mattered about me.
"When I was making the film I realised how much self-respect I had for myself, versus how much I have for myself now. It's completely changed.
"In terms of my mental health, my ability and my confidence - it has changed a lot.
"It's something so simple like a little investment in yourself."
The 22-year-old star has portrayed Craig Tinker in the ITV soap for the past 11 years, and he has recalled being trolled about the way he looks during his 'Corrie' debut.
He said: "At 11 years old after my first episode I was quite excited.
"The first thing you do is search on Twitter to see what people are saying about you and your acting and they weren't talking about my acting, they were talking about the way I look.
"From a young age I'd had a difficult time in school because I was always the odd one out.
"As an actor and somebody who wants to perform, it comes down to it that in your job the acting comes for free and everything else comes with it.
"In a way it's part and parcel of the job. It shouldn't be, but it is."
But Colson admitted his co-stars have been a huge support to him.
Speaking on 'This Morning', he added: "Luckily, I enjoy my job. I work in a place with great people, where everyone is so supportive to get you through some of the tough times that come with it."