DEV-ASTATED
Date with £150 escort, ‘shop fraud’ arrest & being ‘ruled by drugs’… Corrie star Jimmi Harkishin’s turbulent life
THE soap star also once was accused of proposing to a woman while living with his partner of 16 years...
IN soapland, he's known as charming shopkeeper Dev Alahan, who has had a string of onscreen romances.
And away from the cameras, Coronation Street actor Jimmi Harkishin's life has been equally scandalous.
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It's been revealed that the star, who earns a six-figure salary, has been banned from B&Q after allegedly stealing a pot of paint.
Jimmi, who denies any wrongdoing, was taken to a backroom and "held there for 10-15 minutes" according to a source.
Police were not called but staff say bosses handed the actor a letter banning him from the store.
Jimmi later said: “This was a misunderstanding over a sample pot of paint bought from elsewhere.”
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It is understood he is considering an appeal.
But it's not the first time he's been in trouble in a shop.
In 2004, Jimmi, 59, was arrested after shop staff at a clothing store in Brent Cross Shopping Centre, in northwest London, accused him of swapping price tags on clothing.
He was cautioned and later released by police.
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'Totally ruled by drugs'
A month later, pictures emerged of the star snorting cocaine from a kitchen worktop.
Jimmi was caught on camera taking the drugs in the company of model Miranda Lipinski.
She claimed she had a fling with the star after meeting him in a club, which he denied.
She said at the time: "It's time the public knew about his private life. Jimmi's life is totally ruled by drugs.
Coronation Street star quits cobbles for good after 21 years as they flee Weatherfield following string of dramatic storylines
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"He just can't get enough cocaine. He's out of control and needs help.”
The scandal was said to infuriate Corrie bosses who considered axing the star.
But it was agreed that he would take time off from the soap to deal with his issues.
Spiked drink
Despite getting sober, Jimmi fell ill while attending a charity event at a Blackpool nightclub back, in 2010, after his drink was apparently spiked.
Clubbers became concerned for his health after the incident and he was taken into a backroom by staff who looked after him until he felt better.
A Corrie spokesperson said at the time: "It was a very traumatic experience, but Jimmi wishes to stress the club did everything it could and it was just an unfortunate incident.
"He recovered fully and was back at work next day.
"Jimmi categorically denies that he knowingly took any illegal substances on that night."
'Proposal' while with ex
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And Jimmi's love life has been almost as rocky.
He was dating teacher Susan Beaton from 1991, regularly making the 190 mile journey from Corrie’s Manchester set to be with her in London.
They had three children, Holli, Rajan and India, before they split in 2007 after 16 years.
Shortly afterwards, rumours of an affair started to circulate.
TV executive Ruth Gray was said to have accepted his marriage proposal and moved into his Manchester home - while he was still with Susan.
A source at the time said: "Jimmi accepts he has been no saint in the past but has decided to settle down once and for all.
"The situation with Susan is certainly what you would call a bizarre set-up."
Ruth was apparently spotted with a ring on her engagement finger, but Granada TV denied the pair were engaged or living together.
Date with £150-an-hour escort
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In 2012, Jimmi left his co-stars Julie Hesmondhalgh and Jennie McAlpine stunned when he brought porn star Kat Lee as his date to a showing of Chicago in Manchester.
At the time, Kat was an escort, charging £150 an hour with agency Peaches And Cream, on which she was described as "curvy and sexy with enhanced breasts".
A source told the Daily Star: "This was classic Jimmi. He just loves to shock.
"They were chatty and animated during the performance and seemed very much together and easy in each others' company."
The pair left the performance in the interval, and were seen driving off together.
But he is alleged to have told a friend that while the pair were seen together, they are not in a relationship.
Never leaving Corrie
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But, despite the ups and downs in his private life, Coronation Street has a been a constant in Jimmi’s world, since he joined in 1999.
Jimmi - whose real name is Rajan Harkishindas - was born in Paris to Indian father Deepak and Italian mum Soni, before growing up in Manchester.
Despite the fact his parents wanted him to get a "real job" like a doctor or a shopkeeper, he was set on acting, starting his career in 1986, with his first major role of Jose Cuervo in children’s series Uncle Jack.
He went on to play Dr Jay Rahman in TV drama Medics and starred in cult movie East is East.
But his parents’ dream of seeing him behind a shop counter came true when he landed the part of cornershop owner Dev in Corrie, propelling him to household name status.
From day one, Dev was embroiled in affairs and scandals on the Street and it wasn’t long before life began to imitate art.
Apart from taking a few short breaks from the cobbles - in 2011 to mourn the death of his dad Deepak, and again in 2015 and 2019 to go travelling - Jimmi and his alter-ego Dev have never been far away from the Street’s corner shop.
Is there anything I’d really like to go out there and do more than I like doing Corrie? The answer to that is, ‘No’
Jimmi Harkishin
And as he celebrates his 25th anniversary of Dev’s arrival in Corrie this year, it seems Jimmi still has no intention of leaving Weatherfield.
"I think to myself, ‘Is there anything I’d really like to go out there and do more than I like doing Corrie?’ The answer to that is, ‘No’. If there was, I’d do it,” he said four years ago.
And one person who would no doubt love him to stay is Tanisha Gorey, who plays his on-screen daughter Asha.
Tanisha, 21, who has played Asha since she was nine-years-old says Jimmi is her best friend at Corrie.
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Speaking in 2019 she said: "He's been looking after me since my very first day on set. He's just like my dad, he's great.
"Jimmi's always the one I can go to, because we work so closely together.”
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