Coronation Street’s Jack P Shepherd left red-faced as he admits moment he ‘tapped Hollywood star on the BUM’

JACK P Shepherd has revealed he once tapped Stephen Merchant on the bum during a very awkward interaction.

The 34-year-old recalled the cringe moment, which happened at the BAFTAs - admitting it was down to the vast height difference between them.

The Office star Stephen is 6ft 7in, while soap star Jack is 5ft 6.

Chatting to his Corrie co-stars Ben Price and Colson Smith on their podcast Sofa Cinema Club, he revealed: “I met Stephen Merchant. I think Extras was out at the time, and I’m a big fan of Extras.

“He’s a tall bloke, he’s nearly 7ft, he’s massive. I’m at the Baftas and Merchant’s there. We were queuing to get in, and he’s ahead of me in the queue. I went, ‘I’ve got to say hello!’ 

“I saw him, I tapped him, I felt like I was tapping him on the shoulder, but I was tapping him on the bum! We’re queuing up a flight of stairs so where he is 6ft 9, was now 8ft 2, and I’ve become 3ft 6!”

He continued: “As he turned around, I went ‘Hello, can I just say Hello, I’m a big fan!’ I put my arm out, and I remember it was fully stretched to shake his hand. He bent down on the stairs and gave me a polite shake of the hand.”

Causing his co-hosts to erupt in hysterics, Ben Price mimicked the famous writer and friend of Ricky Gervais by saying “I have no idea who you are!”

Jack is known for playing David Platt on the ITV soap, while Stephen now lives in LA and has starred in a number of films including Hot Fuzz, Jojo Rabbit and Fighting with My Family.