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Corrie’s Kevin Kennedy: ‘To anyone struggling with alcohol, there is an answer’

The actor talks to the Róisín Meets podcast about getting sober and starring in The Commitments Musical with Irish actor Andrew Linnie

Kevin Kennedy, who used to play Curly Watts in Coronation St, is now starring in The Commitments, The Musical. Photograph: Nick Bradshaw

Jennifer Ryan
Mon Oct 24 2016 - 11:00

“I finally got sober 18 years ago this month. The moral of the story, if there is one, is to anyone out there who is struggling, there is an answer. You can do this you’ve just got to ask for help,” says former Coronation Street actor Kevin Kennedy.

“My daughters have never seen me take a drink and that’s good. I live a very good and full and happy life. Of course it’s not perfect, but you know I can deal with stuff and it’s alright,” he told Róisín Ingle, presenter of the Róisín Meets podcast.

Kennedy’s battle with alcoholism was tabloid fodder at the time, but he said that was not necessarily a bad thing.

“The press were on my case anyway, so there was no point in hiding. With them watching, that became an incentive to stay out of the pubs.”

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While to soap fans he will always be Corrie’s Curly Watts, Kennedy is currently starring in The Commitments Musical at the Bord Gáis Energy Theatre in Dublin.

Andrew Linnie plays his son Jimmy Rabbitte, having starred in the West End version for over two years. “Incredible,” is how he described working with Roddy Doyle.

“When we did the show in London he was there every day for rehearsals for nearly three months changing things, rewriting things, explaining things. To have him there feels like a real safety net. If you feel something isn’t working out or you don’t know what you’re doing, he’s there,” he said.

Linnie played Dean during that London run, but got the call-up to stand in for the lead role of Jimmy Rabbitte after the main actor was injured and neither of the two understudies was available.

“Everyone dreams of it happening but nobody ever thinks it will. Of course the first thing that comes out of your mouth is “Yes!” Then I hung up the phone and thought: oh god!” he said.

He played Rabbitte for a few nights before the stand-in returned and said it was a “no brainer” two years later when he was offered that role for this tour.

Kevin Kennedy and Andrew Linnie star in The Commitments at the Bord Gáis Energy Theatre in Dublin until 29th October. To listen to the actors talk about the musical, getting their big breaks, Roddy Doyle, and more, go to Soundcloud, iTunes, Stitcher or irishtimes.com.