Tristan Gemmill Interview: Robert's cancer shock

Why did Robert not attend his doctor’s appointment?

Robert is refusing to face facts but as time goes on we will see it is to do with his fear of hospitals from the time he watched his father die of cancer.

What is his reaction when Michelle broaches the subject?

Robert just can't handle it, he's terrified that he might go the same way as his father but he is not able to share that with the one person he really probably should share that with and that's Michelle.

At the hospital, Robert admits that he discovered the lump weeks ago. How does Michelle react?

Michelle has been the voice of reason. Testicular cancer is one of the cancers that if you catch it early then you have a better chance of long term survival. In his heart of hearts he knows that.

What happens after Joseph runs into the road?

Robert ends up at the hospital and Michelle uses that time while he is immobilised to get the urologist in. Robert, even though he feels backed into a corner, reluctantly agrees  to an examination. The doctor says there is definitely something there which he needs to check out  so he recommends that Robert to gets a scan immediately.

The urologist breaks the news to Robert that the lump is most likely malignant and that they’ll have to remove his testis. What’s Robert’s first thoughts when he is told he needs an operation as soon as possible?

Robert feels that everything is getting out of his control and that is an important aspect for Robert - he likes to be in control of stuff.  He basically says, “thank you for making me aware of it, I’ll think about it,” but he just wants to get out the door.

Why does he hide this from Michelle?

Robert doesn't know how to deal with this, he watched his father die of cancer.

How do you think Robert would react to find out that it was cancer?

That’s Robert’s Room 101, that's his worst fear. Everything he has fought to be, for example with the business, and who he has fought to be with, Michelle - the thought of everything to be taken away in the same way he watched his dad go. He is terrified to the point of being frozen with fear and that's why he won't talk to anyone or do anything about it.

Later, in an attempt to forget his illness Robert heads to the casino. What happens next?

The pressure has got to him and he makes some poor decisions. He’ trying to pretend nothing is wrong but he can’t stop.

What was your first reaction when you were told about this story?

There is a fair amount of responsibility depicting something that is sadly quite common and I wanted to portray it in the most realistic way as possible. I hope to do it justice. If we can contribute to getting the message out there that if you find these things early, you can do something about it then I think we can do some good.

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Tvor @tvordlj on Twitter

Video: Tristan Gemmill on Robert's testicular cancer news

(This post was originally posted by Flaming Nora on the Coronation Street Blog November 2017, reposted to this blog with permission.)


Tristan Gemmill, who plays Robert Preston, was interviewed on BBC Breakfast this week where he spoke about Robert's testicular cancer storyline.

Tristan is very well spoken in real life, it was quite odd hearing him talk a little bit more posh than Robert does in Corrie.

He says that Robert's in denial at first about the cancer news, which we've seen play out on screen now.

You can watch the video interview here.

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Tvor @tvordlj on Twitter

Tristan Gemmill Interview: Robert's cancer shock

(This post was originally posted by Flaming Nora on the Coronation Street Blog November 2017, reposted to this blog with permission.)

Why did Robert not attend his doctor’s appointment?

Robert is refusing to face facts but as time goes on we will see it is to do with his fear of hospitals from the time he watched his father die of cancer.

What is his reaction when Michelle broaches the subject?

Robert just can't handle it, he's terrified that he might go the same way as his father but he is not able to share that with the one person he really probably should share that with and that's Michelle.

At the hospital, Robert admits that he discovered the lump weeks ago. How does Michelle react?

Michelle has been the voice of reason. Testicular cancer is one of the cancers that if you catch it early then you have a better chance of long term survival. In his heart of hearts he knows that.

What happens after Joseph runs into the road?

Robert ends up at the hospital and Michelle uses that time while he is immobilised to get the urologist in. Robert, even though he feels backed into a corner, reluctantly agrees  to an examination. The doctor says there is definitely something there which he needs to check out  so he recommends that Robert to gets a scan immediately.

The urologist breaks the news to Robert that the lump is most likely malignant and that they’ll have to remove his testis. What’s Robert’s first thoughts when he is told he needs an operation as soon as possible?

Robert feels that everything is getting out of his control and that is an important aspect for Robert - he likes to be in control of stuff.  He basically says, “thank you for making me aware of it, I’ll think about it,” but he just wants to get out the door.

Why does he hide this from Michelle?

Robert doesn't know how to deal with this, he watched his father die of cancer.

How do you think Robert would react to find out that it was cancer?

That’s Robert’s Room 101, that's his worst fear. Everything he has fought to be, for example with the business, and who he has fought to be with, Michelle - the thought of everything to be taken away in the same way he watched his dad go. He is terrified to the point of being frozen with fear and that's why he won't talk to anyone or do anything about it.

Later, in an attempt to forget his illness Robert heads to the casino. What happens next?

The pressure has got to him and he makes some poor decisions. He’ trying to pretend nothing is wrong but he can’t stop.

What was your first reaction when you were told about this story?

There is a fair amount of responsibility depicting something that is sadly quite common and I wanted to portray it in the most realistic way as possible. I hope to do it justice. If we can contribute to getting the message out there that if you find these things early, you can do something about it then I think we can do some good.

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Tvor @tvordlj on Twitter

Corrie Secrets Revealed: Behind the scenes at the Bistro

(This post was originally posted by Flaming Nora on the Coronation Street Blog July 2017, reposted to this blog with permission.)


Tristan Gemmill, who plays Robert Preston in Coronation Street, is interviewed in this week's Inside Soap magazine and he reveals some smashing secrets from behind the scenes at the Bistro.

He says: "I can tell you there's a spelling mistake in one of the food mantras on the wall in there. Let's see if any of your readers can spot it!  There's also a reservations book and sometimes other actors will sabotage the page that you need to open in a scene - and let's just say it often involves unsavoury drawings or a word that doesn't belong in Coronation Street!"

Tristan also says he loves working with Kym Marsh (Michelle), that he's a big tennis and rugby fan and in real life he has three children.

Asked who he'd swap places with on the set of Corrie, he says Connor McIntyre, who plays Pat Phelan. "The way that Connor manages to keep you enagaged with Pat, even though the character has done some unspeakable things, is testatment to Connor," he says.

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Tvor @tvordlj on Twitter

Tristan Gemmill reveals what's next for the Bistro

(This post was originally posted by Flaming Nora on the Coronation Street Blog July 2017, reposted to this blog with permission.)


Tristan Gemmill, who plays Robert Preston, was interviewed in Soaplife this week. By way of What's On TV we can share his interview with you.

Tristan talks about the current storyline at the Bistro and who he thinks is behind the damage that's being caused.

“Robert feels totally responsible for the nightmare that’s unfolding. And being the hands-on guy that he is, he decides he has to fix it his way… and it sort of spirals out of control because of that.’

So, Robert believes Rich is responsible for the attacks on the Bistro?
“Yes, but Rich has a strong alibi. Robert, though, is convinced Rich is responsible and he can’t get this out of his head.”

Why does Robert offer Chesney Brown £5000?
“Robert notices Chesney jump when a plate smashes and he worries Chesney may have psychological scars after the Bistro attack. Adam Barlow’s threatening legal action on Chesney’s behalf, but Robert offers Chesney a pay-off he can’t afford to try to avoid more trouble.”

Michelle offers to bail him out financially. How does he feel about that?
“Robert’s independent and he wants to sort out his own problems and he doesn’t want money to get in the way of their relationship. So he goes to the casino. He thinks it helps him unwind, plus he could win some money.”

Does it help him unwind?
“No. Michelle is furious when she finds out and they have a big argument. Robert says he got them into this mess and he’ll get them out of it, but this doesn’t hold water. Michelle points out this will count for nothing if the Bistro goes bankrupt because he loses more money. There are some icy moments between them and Michelle insists that from now on they tell each other the truth about everything.”

Then Michelle’s car is vandalised…
“Michelle clearly doesn’t know about it, so Robert goes into protection mode and he gets it fixed without telling her. When she finds out, they fall out again. These attacks are starting to unravel Michelle and Robert’s relationship.”

Michelle’s clearly in serious danger…
“And Robert will do anything to protect her… We will see just how far he’s prepared to go. This turns out to be quite a significant departure for him.”

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Tvor @tvordlj on Twitter

Tristan Gemmill reveals what's next for the Bistro

(This post was originally posted by Flaming Nora on the Coronation Street Blog August 2017, reposted to this blog with permission.)


Tristan Gemmill, who plays Robert Preston, was interviewed in Soaplife this week. By way of What's On TV we can share his interview with you.

Tristan talks about the current storyline at the Bistro and who he thinks is behind the damage that's being caused.

“Robert feels totally responsible for the nightmare that’s unfolding. And being the hands-on guy that he is, he decides he has to fix it his way… and it sort of spirals out of control because of that.’

So, Robert believes Rich is responsible for the attacks on the Bistro?
“Yes, but Rich has a strong alibi. Robert, though, is convinced Rich is responsible and he can’t get this out of his head.”

Why does Robert offer Chesney Brown £5000?
“Robert notices Chesney jump when a plate smashes and he worries Chesney may have psychological scars after the Bistro attack. Adam Barlow’s threatening legal action on Chesney’s behalf, but Robert offers Chesney a pay-off he can’t afford to try to avoid more trouble.”

Michelle offers to bail him out financially. How does he feel about that?
“Robert’s independent and he wants to sort out his own problems and he doesn’t want money to get in the way of their relationship. So he goes to the casino. He thinks it helps him unwind, plus he could win some money.”

Does it help him unwind?
“No. Michelle is furious when she finds out and they have a big argument. Robert says he got them into this mess and he’ll get them out of it, but this doesn’t hold water. Michelle points out this will count for nothing if the Bistro goes bankrupt because he loses more money. There are some icy moments between them and Michelle insists that from now on they tell each other the truth about everything.”

Then Michelle’s car is vandalised…
“Michelle clearly doesn’t know about it, so Robert goes into protection mode and he gets it fixed without telling her. When she finds out, they fall out again. These attacks are starting to unravel Michelle and Robert’s relationship.”

Michelle’s clearly in serious danger…
“And Robert will do anything to protect her… We will see just how far he’s prepared to go. This turns out to be quite a significant departure for him.”

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Tvor @tvordlj on Twitter

Video: Corrie's Tristan Gemmill once auditioned to play James Bond

(This post was originally posted by Flaming Nora on the Coronation Street Blog April 2017, reposted to this blog with permission.)

Tristan Gemmill who plays Robert Preston in Coronation Street, was interviewed on ITV's Loose Women today.  He gave a history of Robert in a nutshell and talked about what happens next when Robert and Michelle get together.

He also revealed that he once auditioned to play James Bond!  The name's Preston, Robert Preston.

He said he auditioned for the role before Daniel Craig took over as Bond but he says he knew he didn't stand much of a chance in getting the role.

You can watch the video here (Yes, it works in Canada).

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Tvor @tvordlj on Twitter

Coronation Street Blog Interview with Tristan Gemmill

(This post was originally posted by Ruth Owen on the Coronation Street Blog in May 2016, reposted to this blog with permission.)

On Monday I headed down to Sheffield station, confident that I would be in plenty of time to get to The Lowry Theatre in Media City, for a special screening to which Emma and I had been invited. It soon became evident that my confidence was misplaced after not one, but two trains were cancelled. Panic growing, I was willing train number three to go as fast as it could. Straight onto a tram and to Media City and The Lowry to find Emma right at the front of the screening room with a seat saved for me. Thank you Emma!

The screenings were edge of your seat stuff. So much to look forward to with plots brilliantly crafted along with twists and turns making what might have been considered irrelevancies, being anything but.

After the screening we were allocated tables in readiness to interview the cast involved in the upcoming explosive episodes. The table arrangements made for more intimate, less formal interviews. The cast seemed more relaxed too with this new arrangement and it was all the better for it.

Robert Preston, played by Tristan Gemmill, is the chef at the bistro, and was once a carpet fitter. He plays an integral part in the whole Tracy, Carla, Nick story line, chiefly because in a moment of euphoric madness at the casino, Carla and Robert slept together, to Carla's almost immediate regret. This mistake, which Tracy found out about, set in motion a chain of fear of disclosure, bribery, a hasty sale of Nick's Bistro, a wedding, the possible purchase of a restaurant in Devon, followed by a move down there by Carla and Nick to  begin their new life.

Robert, you will remember, met up again with Tracy, his ex-wife, at his former mother-in-law's funeral. When Deirdre died, Robert was married to Joni, but claimed to Tracy that he was in love with her and always had been. Their relationship rekindled, it seemed that Robert was indeed in love with Tracy and so  he comes to live with Tracy, Ken and Amy.

As Nick and Carla's wedding draws ever nearer, Carla is only too aware that at any moment her nemesis could wreck her life.  The bistro is decked out tastefully ready for the ceremony, and the guests are gathered, when Tracy bursts in to reveal that it was Carla who stumped up the money to give to Tracy to give to Robert, for Robert to go ahead with his ambition to buy the bistro. Carla, keen to proceed with the ceremony sees all too clearly that her attempt to buy Tracy's silence has failed.

Robert is outraged that Tracy could pull a stunt such as this and for him, it is a step too far. This spiteful, malicious attempt to destroy the dream Carla and Nick were beginning to believe would come to fruition, is too much for Robert. Despite Tracy's desperate attempts to hang on to him, Robert packs his bag, apologises to Ken and heads off. Notably, Ken makes no attempt to persuade him to stay. Tristan confirmed that for now, at least, Robert and Tracy are over. Robert has discovered just how conniving and sinister Tracy can be. It is so intriguing though, that he said 'for now' -  but for now, that is as much as I know.

Robert, Tristan said, will throw himself into his work at the bistro and try to make it as successful a business venture as he possibly can.

Tristan said that he is delighted to be on the cobbles and was full of praise for everyone involved. He finds it fascinating to now know the inside track of a show he has only ever known from the outside as a viewer. He stated that he thought that Coronation Street is 'The Rolls Royce of the genre.' and I for one will not be arguing with that assessment. Tristan has no plans to leave and is very much enjoying his time on the cobbles. I asked him if he might enlighten us as to the possibilities of a romance with Leanne. After all, the rumour mill has been churning out this possibility for some time. In return, I was granted a wry smile...

Ruth Owen, twitter @Ruth1722


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Coronation Street Blog Interview: Tristan Gemmill

(This post was originally posted by Emma Hynes on the Coronation Street Blog in July 2015.)

It’s a long time since we last encountered Robert Preston. And while the actor playing him may have changed, his love for Tracy Barlow hasn’t.

I caught up with Tristan Gemmill at ITV in Manchester to hear all about his character’s return.

So what is Robert like now? “He's kind of an easygoing guy” explains Tristan, “he's humorous, and at the same time he's got an edge to him.”

As we know, Robert was a carpet fitter, but has retrained as a chef, and is now co-owner of a restaurant in Alderley Edge with wife Joanie (Sarah Harding). Robert hasn’t quite gotten over Tracy though. “That's definitely the feeling you get from when I first come in” explains Tristan, “Robert's had other relationships, but for one reason or other they haven't worked out. Part of the reason for that is that no one has been able to replace Tracy in his affections.”

Despite being away for so long, Robert appears to have been following her life from afar. While he knows about her prison past and "tendency to get involved in tricky situations", he doesn't know about the fire and won’t know every detail of what has happened since they last met.

I asked Tristan who has been keeping Robert informed. He explained that he has been following Tracy’s misdemeanors in the press and as his restaurant is in Manchester, he’s been hearing things on the grapevine. Tristan revealed that there was initially an indication that his mum had been keeping him up to date, but that idea didn’t make it into the scripts.

Asked how Robert would react if he discovered Tracy started the fire, Tristan replied, “That's a very good question, and it's something that we address at some stage, that's about all I can say”.

So why does Robert come back? Tristan explains that his love of Tracy has stopped him moving on in life and making successes of other relationships. “I think he partly goes there to get closure, to see her and try to end that once and for all. Of course the exact opposite thing happens” he continues, “all those old feelings start to bubble up to the surface and cause problems.” While he doesn’t intend keeping his marriage to Joanie a secret from Tracy, she finds out before he's ready to tell her. “It's not like Robert has led her on, circumstances have acted against him a little bit, but then it all comes out and it's not the way he wanted it to” he reveals.

It sounds like Joanie and Tracy may have more in common than being married to Robert. “There's a certain volatility in Sarah's character too which indicates she's not a million miles away personality-wise from the hot-headedness of Tracy Barlow” Tristan explains. “Maybe Robert is one of those people who is attracted to danger…there's an element of thrill being with some who's unpredictable”.

Tristan reveals that a few sacrifices have to be made in order for him to set up in Weatherfield where he is hired by Leanne to work at the Bistro. He also tells us that they've added a whole new kitchen set, and I managed to catch a glimpse of it myself on the day.

We’re told Robert impresses and flatters Tracy with his persistence. “Aside from Deirdre, Robert is the only person who has ever accepted her for what she is, warts and all” explains Tristan. “She can't pull the wool over his eyes like she can with others. Plus, Robert is saying all the right things to her, it's what she wants to hear.”

So how does Tristan feel about coming into such a long-running drama? “I'm excited. Who wouldn't be? I'm approaching it with an open mind and a sense of adventure. The scale of this is just huge, it's a great thing to be part of it, this sense that you're a cog in this much bigger machine. Everyone has been lovely to me too. I'm really enjoying it. As the stories go out, and the audience start reacting to your character then I'll get a better feel of where I fit in”.

It was interesting to hear that five people were auditioned for the role via a screen test with Kate Ford in the Bistro. Tristan tells us, "she was great and we had a bit of a laugh, which I think is always quite important."

While Tristan didn’t meet on screen wife Sarah Harding until their first scene together, he reveals “working with her was a blast. There were a lot of big scenes to play on our first morning so she was really thrown in at the deep end, but she did brilliantly.”

Tristan has a good awareness of the expectations of the Corrie audience that things will be portrayed accurately. “You have to approach it openly and honestly, it's so embedded in the British cultural landscape, I assume that people pick up on things. If you try to put things in that aren't there, then people will sniff things out rather quickly”. It was a no-brainer for him when he was offered the part, telling us "I was very grateful to grasp it with both hands”.

Robert knew from the age of 12 what he wanted to do, and has lived in Australia and, most recently, America. “In fact”, he reveals, “I was actually in America when I got the call to put myself on tape for this. I must be the only person that's gone to Hollywood and got a job on Coronation Street!”

It will be interesting to see where Robert's return takes Tracy, and what relationships he'll forge with others on the street.

By Emma Hynes

www.emmahynes.wordpress.com

Twitter: @ELHynes

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