Corrie’s Antony Cotton and rugby star Keegan Hirst pictured enjoying night out at notorious raunchy nightclub in London
The soap star and rugby player were seen enjoying a night out in Soho’s infamous The Box club
CORONATION Street star Antony Cotton and rugby player Keegan Hirst were pictured enjoying a night out in London’s busy Soho, where they partied at The Box nightclub.
The soap veteran, 40, and the 28-year-old Bately Bulldogs player were seen outside the club linking arms and holding hands.
Antony’s long-term partner, Peter Eccleston, 37, did not join the pair on the night out.
The actor has been with Peter, who works as a production buyer on Corrie, for eleven years, and back in 2012 exchanged rings in a “DIY marriage.”
A friend told The Mirror: "He and Peter are so much in love.
“They have exchanged rings to show they are as good as a married couple, although they haven't had a civil ceremony."
The couple live together in a luxury home overlooking farmland in Rochdale.
The Box gained notoriety for its explicit burlesque, cabaret shows and stage acts, with owner Simon Hammerstein describing it as a place of “mystique, mystery and sexual openness,” while one reviewer labelled it as “Britain’s seediest VIP cub.”
Not that a bit of seediness is enough to out off some of the most A-list of celebs, with clientele including Prince Harry, Zara Phillips, Kate Moss, Jude Law, Harry Styles and Mark Ronson.
Keegan became a household name in August last year when he became the first rugby league player to come out as gay.
The divorced dad-of-two has credited Antony for helping him to come out and deal with the public attention, which has been overwhelmingly positive.
Speaking recently to GuysLikeU.com, he called the Antony, "an absolute star."
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“It’s been a bit mad, to be honest.
“Antony has been an absolute star.
“He’s helped me out no end and I honestly can’t thank him enough.”
He also revealed that is friend has introduced him to acting elite, including Sir Ian McKellen.
“It was really surreal," he told Attitude.
“On the Friday night at Manchester Pride I went for dinner with them and I was driving so I gave them a lift back to Antony’s."
He added: “Ian McKellen was sat in the passenger seat with Antony Cotton in the back, and we were just chit-chatting.
“Then, suddenly you realise this is weird!
“Because of who they are you think they’ll be different, but it’s just their job.
“They’re still just a normal person.”