Mikey North has signed a 'Coronation Street' contract extension.
Mikey North
The 31-year-old actor has put pen to paper on another 12-month deal to keep him on the ITV soap for an 11th year, and he is grateful for outgoing series producer Kate Oates - who will depart the show next month - for "renewing [his] energy" in the programme.
He said: "I've just signed again for another year, so this will be my 11th year which is crazy, but it's been my best year, I'm very happy at Corrie.
"Kate [Oates] has been a great producer for Gary. She's really renewed my energy in the show.
"Gary has been much more of a central part of the show and I've been involved in some really nice storylines, culminating in the week ahead."
Mikey has become a father to 18-month-old Archie, who he shares with wife Rachael, since starting out life in Weatherfield, and he admitted it is a "worry" that he's "grown up" more than his alter-ego.
He said: "He was a chavvy, greasy-haired Burberry-wearing bad boy - he was just like Mikey was.
"I have probably grown up more than he has which is a worry.
"I'm married now and I have a little boy. My life is very different than it was 11 years ago."
While Mikey is loving life on the cobbles, the Weatherfield rocks can be a hindrance at times.
He added to the Manchester Evening News: "I was doing a job the other day and I was running full pelt down the cobbles in my work boots.
"I clipped a cobble and went flying and put my knee out and my wrist, and I didn't even need to be running."
Mikey is set to be involved in evil Pat Phelan's (Connor McIntyre) revenge storyline next week, and he recently teased that the serial killer's demise will "come full circle".
He said: "It is all going to come full circle in the end and it will end where it all began in some ways.
"I think it is really nice and it's great to be a part of it. Gary is the one person who has never had the wool pulled over his eyes about Phelan whereas a lot of people have."
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