'As an actor I was forever waiting for that bus to come and welcome me aboard'

Road to fame was long, says Coronation Street's Vinta Morgan

- By Sue Crawford

Ronnie and Debbie wed in December Ronnie tries to persuade Debbie tells brother Kevin and Ronnie

VINTA Morgan says finally getting a soap contract made him feel like he had become a star at last — after a long time trying.

The actor, 53, who now plays Ronnie Bailey in Coronation Street, showed early promise but stardom eluded him for years.

He was rapping as a teenager when a local drama group spotted his talent and advised him to try out for the prestigious Guildhall School of Music & Drama.

To his amazement, he was accepted but a year later he dropped out.

He explains: "It was a fantastic experience, but I had no money and I had to seek funding. Some actors, including Nigel Havers, gave me money to be in the school, but I felt like Oliver Twist. I didn’t like it, plus the world there was so strange to me. I was surrounded by upper middle-class people, who were completely different to me. Those things combined and I left."

He spent the next four years doing everything from telesales to office admin, teaching and working as a cleaner. Vinta continues: "I ended up having to go back to the Guildhall to clean. I saw one of the principals. We didn’t say anything, but we both recognised each other. That was the turning point. I thought, 'I need to get back [to acting]. I need to do this'."

After Vinta landed a place at East 15 Acting School, Sir Anthony Hopkins generously agreed to sponsor him to the tune of £9,000.