Coronation Street’s Alex Bain admits ‘I’ve been through dark times’ after cruel trolls said he was a bad dad at 17
CORONATION Street’s Alex Bain has admitted to struggling with his mental health after experiencing the dark side of fame as a child star.
Alex, best-known as troubled Simon Barlow, revealed he was picked on at school and more recently he has battled online trolls who have cruelly said the single dad was a bad parent.
The teenage star, who was only seven when he joined the show, said: “I never struggled with school work, but I went through quite a few tough times in school, because I was the only male dancer. Kids can truthfully be horrible.
“I had a situation when I was in school and it affected me. It affected me a lot more I think when I was getting older and I have struggled, especially with mental health.
I’m open about it, but I’ve been through some dark times.”
Alex, 19, credited Coronation Street, his family, his girlfriend Mollie Lockwood and his two year-old daughter Lydia-Rose with being his saviour.
He said: “If I didn’t stick at the job that I’m in now I would have been lost. Corrie has kept me going and especially having a daughter has kept me going – it gives me something to do.
“I’ve got a wonderful girlfriend Mollie and she’s been there for me, because she’s struggled as well, she’s a performer too.
“My family have been great and have always looked after me. They just said: ‘you go in your own your lane, don’t listen to what people say, because they’re the people who are jealous of what you’ve got.’
"It has been a struggle over the years, but I think now I’m on the up.”
Alex became a dad to daughter Lydia-Rose when his then girlfriend Levi Selby gave birth aged just 16.
Alex was 17 and the baby was born shortly after the pair sat their GCSEs.
The couple split in 2019 and for the past year Alex has dated dancer Mollie.
While he lives in Lancashire, Mollie lives just across the Welsh border and the couple have not been able to see much of each other during lockdown.
Alex said: “It’s been tough. We’ve spent a lot of time apart; we’ve spent maybe three quarters of our relationship not physically being able to see each other. It was a struggle, but I’ve got FaceTime and Zoom."
Having spent 12 years as Simon Barlow, Alex is about to be handed his biggest-ever storyline.
Simon has secured a job delivering for Dev’s fish and chip shop to try to bring in some money.
But he soon realises that the other teenagers who work there are earning their cash in a very different way and when he borrows money from one of the gang he finds himself drawn into their murky world of drug running.
Alex said: “Simon’s trying to be there for his family and he’s been pulled in various different directions. He’s trying his best to keep it all together, but at the same time he’s only young and unfortunately he’s not perfect.
“He’s always been on the wrong end of everything and he’s never really had friends who are close to him, so I think the gang fill that void. Part of him knows how dangerous it is, but part of him just wants that closeness.
“He’s going to get in too deep into things he doesn’t even know exist. There’s the vulnerability.
“I feel honoured to be trusted with such a big storyline, because they could have given this to so many talented actors.
“This is my first storyline which is truly all about me. It’s about my character’s struggles.
"When I was told about it I was excited and ready, because I wanted to step up as an actor.”
Alex, who recently completed a BTEC Level 3 Extended Diploma in Musical Theatre at Manchester’s Shockout Theatre school, credits his on-screen parents Jane Danson and Chris Gascoyne with his success.
“I was never professionally fully trained until my later years – I finished all my training last year – so they’ve really taught me all I know from being young; it’s all come from them,” he explained.
“They’ve been wonderful people. I’ve always been able to talk to them if I’m struggling with anything personally.”
He said: “I’ve always wanted to be in this industry even from being very little.
“When I started at Corrie, that was the moment when I realised I could make a career out of it and I’ve never looked back since really.”
Alex was tipped for success soon after joining the show by none other than Anne Kirkbride who played the show’s legendary Deirdre Barlow. He revealed: “I remember Annie saying to me: ‘you’re going to go far you kid.’ I keep that with me.”
Away from work he is a devoted Dad to Lydia-Rose and has been spending
time with her during the pandemic.
He said: “Me and my daughter Lydia have just constantly been watching films here at my house, which is great.”
Despite being a 19 year-old Dad, Alex still sometimes get mistaken for a child. He said: “I’ve been blessed unfortunately with a baby face, so I do still sometimes get ID’d.
"It’s funny when you’re trying to get a nice bottle of Jack Daniels as part of someone’s Christmas present and people still think I’m 14. I’m like: ‘come on now, I’m nearly 20!’
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After featuring in a host of dramatic storylines during his time on the cobbles, Alex’s dream would be to feature in a big story on mental health.
He explained: “Not that many people go through that much in their life and come out perfect on the other side, so I’d like to show Simon’s vulnerability mentally.”