Antony Cotton reveals secret hardship behind his 'grumpy' Dancing On Ice persona
The Coronation Street star was being a Good Samaritan
Author: Emma DoddsPublished 3rd Jul 2018
Coronation Street actor Antony Cotton definitely divided the public during his time on Dancing On Ice earlier this year. Many thought he was a fantastic addition to the show - but others branded him a "diva" after he wasn't afraid to stand up for himself against the judging panel's comments.
However, the 42-year-old has now revealed that there was a lot more going on behind the scenes than anyone knew about and has opened up about his secret stresses off-camera.
Speaking to the Metro, Antony admitted to being "quite grumpy" during his stint on the show, but he had good reason - he was trying to save the life of a homeless person.
Having received a message from an acquaintance on Facebook, Antony called it "pure chance" that he decided to read it - discovering that the person was now homeless after previously having a home and a family.
Did you know these soap stars dated in real life too?
Daisy Wood-Davis and Luke Jerdy
Hollyoaks stars Daisy Wood-Davis (Kim Butterfield) and Luke Jerdy (Jesse Donovan) have been posting a lot of loved up snaps together lately. Status: Dating
Antony Cotton reveals secret hardship behind his 'grumpy' Dancing On Ice persona
2 of 25
Sophie Porley and Adam Woodward
Hollyoaks actors Sophie Porley (Ellie Nightingale) and Adam Woodward (Brody Hudson) are now dating. Status: Together
Daisy Wood-Davis and Luke Jerdy
Hollyoaks stars Daisy Wood-Davis (Kim Butterfield) and Luke Jerdy (Jesse Donovan) have been posting a lot of loved up snaps together lately. Status: Dating
Sally Carman and Joe Duttine
Coronation Street stars Sally Carman and Joe Duttine are reportedly dating after a string of 'secret dates'. After attending Corrie's summer party together in July, reports suggest the couple are very happy together.
Status: Dating
Nadine Mulkerrin and Rory Douglas Speed
Hollyoaks actors Nadine Mulkerrin (Cleo McQueen) and Rory Douglas Speed (Joel Dexter) took their on-screen romance into real life!
Rory popped the question to Nadine in December 2018 - during a trip to Amsterdam! Status: Engaged
Matthew Wolfenden and Charley Webb - Met on Emmerdale. Status: Married.
Matthew Wolfenden and Charley Webb
Matthew Wolfenden and Charley Webb - Met on Emmerdale. Status: Married.
Charlie Clapham and Stephanie Davis - The Hollyoaks actors dated in 2014. Status: Split.
Charlie Clapham and Stephanie Davis
Charlie Clapham and Stephanie Davis - The Hollyoaks actors dated in 2014. Status: Split.
James Sutton and Sammy Winward - The Emmerdale co-stars had a brief romance in 2010. Status: Split.
James Sutton and Sammy Winward
James Sutton and Sammy Winward - The Emmerdale co-stars had a brief romance in 2010. Status: Split.
Peter Amory and Claire King - The Emmerdale actors were married for 10 years. Status: Divorced.
Peter Amory and Claire King
Peter Amory and Claire King - The Emmerdale actors were married for 10 years. Status: Divorced.
Jennifer James and Lee Boardman - These Coronation Street co-stars married in 2001. Status: Married.
Jennifer James and Lee Boardman
Jennifer James and Lee Boardman - These Coronation Street co-stars married in 2001. Status: Married.
Chris Chittell and Lesley Dunlop - These Emmerdale co-stars recently married in Cornwall. Status: Married.
Chris Chittell and Lesley Dunlop
Chris Chittell and Lesley Dunlop - These Emmerdale co-stars recently married in Cornwall. Status: Married.
Samantha Giles and Peter Amory - Met on Emmerdale. Status: Split.
Samantha Giles and Peter Amory
Samantha Giles and Peter Amory - Met on Emmerdale. Status: Split.
Tina O'Brien and Ryan Thomas - The Coronation Street couple a child together in 2008. Status: Split.
Tina O'Brien and Ryan Thomas
Tina O'Brien and Ryan Thomas - The Coronation Street couple a child together in 2008. Status: Split.
Alfie Browne-Sykes and Amanda Clapham - The Hollyoaks co-stars are reportedly dating. Status: Together.
Alfie Browne-Sykes and Amanda Clapham
Alfie Browne-Sykes and Amanda Clapham - The Hollyoaks co-stars are reportedly dating. Status: Together.
This Hollyoaks couple were married for 16 years. Status: Separated.
Nicole Barber - Lane and Liam Fox
This Hollyoaks couple were married for 16 years. Status: Separated.
Kylie Minogue and Jason Donovan - The Neighbours co-stars split in 1989. Status: Split.
Kylie Minogue and Jason Donovan
Kylie Minogue and Jason Donovan - The Neighbours co-stars split in 1989. Status: Split.
The Emmerdale couple and college sweetheart married in 2003. Status: Married.
Jeff Hordley and Zoe Henry
The Emmerdale couple and college sweetheart married in 2003. Status: Married.
Alan Halsall and Lucy Jo Hudson - The pair married in 2009. Status: Married.
Alan Halsall and Lucy Jo Hudson
Alan Halsall and Lucy Jo Hudson - The pair married in 2009, but new reports suggest they have now split. Status: Split
Emmett J. Scanlan and Claire Cooper - These Hollyoaks co-stars tied the knot in January. Status: Married.
Emmett J. Scanlan and Claire Cooper
Emmett J. Scanlan and Claire Cooper - These Hollyoaks co-stars tied the knot in January. Status: Married.
Nadia Swalha and Marc Bannerman - The Eastenders stars dated for three years. Status: Split.
Nadia Swalha and Marc Bannerman
Nadia Swalha and Marc Bannerman - The EastEnders stars dated for three years. Status: Split.
Charlie Clapham and Tamara Wall - The Hollyoaks actors previously dated. Status: Split.
Charlie Clapham and Tamara Wall
Charlie Clapham and Tamara Wall - The Hollyoaks actors previously dated. Status: Split.
Anna Passey and Nick Rhys - It's thought these two Hollyoaks stars have been together for over a year. Status: Together.
Anna Passey and Nick Rhys
Anna Passey and Nick Rhys - It's thought these two Hollyoaks stars have been together for over a year. Status: Together.
Claire Goose and Jonathan Kerrigan - This casualty co-stars dated for several years. Status: Split.
Claire Goose and Jonathan Kerrigan
Claire Goose and Jonathan Kerrigan - These Casualty co-stars dated for several years. Status: Split.
Harley Bonner and Ariel Kaplan - Met on Neighbours. Status: Together. (Instagram, aroelerin)
Harley Bonner and Ariel Kaplan
Harley Bonner and Ariel Kaplan - Met on Neighbours. Status: Together.
Chris Milligan and Jenna Rosenow - Met on Neighbours. Status: Together. (Instagram, jennarosenow)
Chris Milligan and Jenna Rosenow
Chris Milligan and Jenna Rosenow - Met on Neighbours. Status: Together.
Corrie actors Daniel Brocklebank and Rob Mallard were dating until they ended their romance in July 2017
Daniel Brocklebank and Rob Mallard
Corrie actors Daniel Brocklebank and Rob Mallard were dating until they ended their romance in July 2017.
Status: Split
Sophie Porley and Adam Woodward
Hollyoaks actors Sophie Porley (Ellie Nightingale) and Adam Woodward (Brody Hudson) are now dating. Status: Together
Daisy Wood-Davis and Luke Jerdy
Hollyoaks stars Daisy Wood-Davis (Kim Butterfield) and Luke Jerdy (Jesse Donovan) have been posting a lot of loved up snaps together lately. Status: Dating
Sally Carman and Joe Duttine
Coronation Street stars Sally Carman and Joe Duttine are reportedly dating after a string of 'secret dates'. After attending Corrie's summer party together in July, reports suggest the couple are very happy together.
Status: Dating
Nadine Mulkerrin and Rory Douglas Speed
Hollyoaks actors Nadine Mulkerrin (Cleo McQueen) and Rory Douglas Speed (Joel Dexter) took their on-screen romance into real life!
Rory popped the question to Nadine in December 2018 - during a trip to Amsterdam! Status: Engaged
Matthew Wolfenden and Charley Webb - Met on Emmerdale. Status: Married.
Matthew Wolfenden and Charley Webb
Matthew Wolfenden and Charley Webb - Met on Emmerdale. Status: Married.
Charlie Clapham and Stephanie Davis - The Hollyoaks actors dated in 2014. Status: Split.
Charlie Clapham and Stephanie Davis
Charlie Clapham and Stephanie Davis - The Hollyoaks actors dated in 2014. Status: Split.
James Sutton and Sammy Winward - The Emmerdale co-stars had a brief romance in 2010. Status: Split.
James Sutton and Sammy Winward
James Sutton and Sammy Winward - The Emmerdale co-stars had a brief romance in 2010. Status: Split.
Peter Amory and Claire King - The Emmerdale actors were married for 10 years. Status: Divorced.
Peter Amory and Claire King
Peter Amory and Claire King - The Emmerdale actors were married for 10 years. Status: Divorced.
Jennifer James and Lee Boardman - These Coronation Street co-stars married in 2001. Status: Married.
Jennifer James and Lee Boardman
Jennifer James and Lee Boardman - These Coronation Street co-stars married in 2001. Status: Married.
Chris Chittell and Lesley Dunlop - These Emmerdale co-stars recently married in Cornwall. Status: Married.
Chris Chittell and Lesley Dunlop
Chris Chittell and Lesley Dunlop - These Emmerdale co-stars recently married in Cornwall. Status: Married.
Samantha Giles and Peter Amory - Met on Emmerdale. Status: Split.
Samantha Giles and Peter Amory
Samantha Giles and Peter Amory - Met on Emmerdale. Status: Split.
Tina O'Brien and Ryan Thomas - The Coronation Street couple a child together in 2008. Status: Split.
Tina O'Brien and Ryan Thomas
Tina O'Brien and Ryan Thomas - The Coronation Street couple a child together in 2008. Status: Split.
Alfie Browne-Sykes and Amanda Clapham - The Hollyoaks co-stars are reportedly dating. Status: Together.
Alfie Browne-Sykes and Amanda Clapham
Alfie Browne-Sykes and Amanda Clapham - The Hollyoaks co-stars are reportedly dating. Status: Together.
This Hollyoaks couple were married for 16 years. Status: Separated.
Nicole Barber - Lane and Liam Fox
This Hollyoaks couple were married for 16 years. Status: Separated.
Kylie Minogue and Jason Donovan - The Neighbours co-stars split in 1989. Status: Split.
Kylie Minogue and Jason Donovan
Kylie Minogue and Jason Donovan - The Neighbours co-stars split in 1989. Status: Split.
The Emmerdale couple and college sweetheart married in 2003. Status: Married.
Jeff Hordley and Zoe Henry
The Emmerdale couple and college sweetheart married in 2003. Status: Married.
Alan Halsall and Lucy Jo Hudson - The pair married in 2009. Status: Married.
Alan Halsall and Lucy Jo Hudson
Alan Halsall and Lucy Jo Hudson - The pair married in 2009, but new reports suggest they have now split. Status: Split
Emmett J. Scanlan and Claire Cooper - These Hollyoaks co-stars tied the knot in January. Status: Married.
Emmett J. Scanlan and Claire Cooper
Emmett J. Scanlan and Claire Cooper - These Hollyoaks co-stars tied the knot in January. Status: Married.
Nadia Swalha and Marc Bannerman - The Eastenders stars dated for three years. Status: Split.
Nadia Swalha and Marc Bannerman
Nadia Swalha and Marc Bannerman - The EastEnders stars dated for three years. Status: Split.
Charlie Clapham and Tamara Wall - The Hollyoaks actors previously dated. Status: Split.
Charlie Clapham and Tamara Wall
Charlie Clapham and Tamara Wall - The Hollyoaks actors previously dated. Status: Split.
Anna Passey and Nick Rhys - It's thought these two Hollyoaks stars have been together for over a year. Status: Together.
Anna Passey and Nick Rhys
Anna Passey and Nick Rhys - It's thought these two Hollyoaks stars have been together for over a year. Status: Together.
Claire Goose and Jonathan Kerrigan - This casualty co-stars dated for several years. Status: Split.
Claire Goose and Jonathan Kerrigan
Claire Goose and Jonathan Kerrigan - These Casualty co-stars dated for several years. Status: Split.
Harley Bonner and Ariel Kaplan - Met on Neighbours. Status: Together. (Instagram, aroelerin)
Harley Bonner and Ariel Kaplan
Harley Bonner and Ariel Kaplan - Met on Neighbours. Status: Together.
Chris Milligan and Jenna Rosenow - Met on Neighbours. Status: Together. (Instagram, jennarosenow)
Chris Milligan and Jenna Rosenow
Chris Milligan and Jenna Rosenow - Met on Neighbours. Status: Together.
Corrie actors Daniel Brocklebank and Rob Mallard were dating until they ended their romance in July 2017
Daniel Brocklebank and Rob Mallard
Corrie actors Daniel Brocklebank and Rob Mallard were dating until they ended their romance in July 2017.
Status: Split
Sophie Porley and Adam Woodward
Hollyoaks actors Sophie Porley (Ellie Nightingale) and Adam Woodward (Brody Hudson) are now dating. Status: Together
Antony worked tirelessly with homeless shelter Barnabus in Manchester to help the person, telling the publication, "I was in the middle of doing Dancing On Ice so I may have appeared quite grumpy on that occasionally. I wanted to say, 'You don’t know the half of what I’m f-----g going through right now,'" adding that he'd kept the situation a secret because "it was a private thing."
In a strange coincidence, Antony was approached months later by show bosses at Corrie, who told him they wanted his character Sean Tully to go through a homeless storyline - which almost exactly mirrored what Antony had just been through with his friend.
Having such a close understanding of homelessness, Antony jumped at the chance to raise awareness, saying, "If somebody had said that to me without me going through this I would have said, 'That just does not happen.'
"Turns out it’s true and very spookily it was the identical story. So much so that I had to go back to Barnabus and say, 'I don’t want you to think I’ve come in here for some weird research and I’ve picked up this homeless person online'."
Antony's character Sean will find himself homeless in upcoming scenes, tearily being forced to ask strangers for donations on the street.