Michael Le Vell
Michael Le Vell | |
|---|---|
| Born | Michael Robert Turner 15 December 1964 Newton Heath,Manchester,England |
| Occupation | Actor |
| Years active | 1981–present |
| Employers | |
| Known for | Role ofKevin WebsterinCoronation Street |
| Spouse |
Janette Beverley
(m.1986;sep.2011) |
| Children | 2 |
Michael Robert Turner[1](born 15 December 1964), known professionally asMichael Le Vell,is an English actor. He is best known for his role as mechanicKevin Websterin the long-runningITVsoap operaCoronation Street,a role he has played since 1983.[2]
Early life
[edit]Le Vell was born inNewton Heath,Manchester.When he was fifteen, his mother died from abrain tumour,and when he was 22, his father died oflung cancer.He has a brother, Phil and two sisters.[3]
Career
[edit]Le Vell began his acting career in theOldham Theatre Workshopafter taking an interest in amateur dramatics while at school.[4]He had a guest role as paperboy Neil Grimshaw inCoronation Street.[5]He then went on to appear in theBBCshowsFame is the SpurandOne by One.
Le Vell later attended an audition atGranada Studiosfor the seriesScully,where he metcasting directorJudy Hayfield. Hayfield presumed that he was present to audition forCoronation Street,and asked him to return the following day to try out for a part. Le Vell was then offered the role ofKevin Webster.[4]
During the 1980s, Le Vell gained status as agay iconbecause he wore tight jeans and had a moustache. Le Vell received a high volume of fan mail from gay fans. He later stated that his gay following diminished after he shaved off his moustache.[6]His following resurfaced in 2005 after photos of him dressed as a woman for charity appeared in theDaily Mirrornewspaper.[7]26 years into playing Kevin, Le Vell said he would continue in the role because he still viewed it as "the best job on television".[8]
Personal life
[edit]Le Vell lives inHale,Greater Manchester.[9]He married actress Janette Beverley in October 1986, after she had featured alongside him inCoronation Street.[10]They have two children together.[11]In 2011, Le Vell and Beverley separated after 25 years together due to becoming estranged.[10]
Le Vell was a member of the celebrityfootballteam All Stars, who play for charities. In 2007, he was hospitalised during a match.[12]He was a director of Ratio Money, which went intoadministrationon 12 April 2010.[13]This business attempted to exploit a loophole in theConsumer Credit Actto allow people to avoid credit card debts.[14]
Trial
[edit]In September 2011, Le Vell was arrested on suspicion of rape, which he denied. He was tried under his legal surname Turner.[9][15]In January 2012, theCrown Prosecution Servicedropped the case, citing insufficient evidence.[16]On 14 February 2013, Alison Levitt QC, principal legal adviser to theDirector of Public Prosecutions,stated that she had reviewed a decision not to prosecute Turner following allegations made against him in 2011.[17]She authorisedGreater Manchester Policeto charge him[18][19]with 19 offences.[17][18]
ITV announced that he would not be appearing inCoronation Street"pending the outcome of legal proceedings".[20][21]Le Vell stated: "I am innocent of these charges and intend to fight them vigorously."[22]He pleaded not guilty to all 19 charges.[23][24]During the trial, which took place before Judge Michael Henshell[25]atManchester Crown Court,his barrister described the accuser's evidence as containing a series of inconsistencies.[26]On 10 September 2013, he was found not guilty on all counts,[27]and on 21 March 2014, he returned to his role as Kevin Webster. He left the series shortly after his on-screen return, to combat a drug addiction he developed during his trial. Le Vell returned in October the same year, his character's absence on the show being explained as caring for his father, Bill, in Germany.[28]
Notes
[edit]- Kay, Graeme (1991).Life in the Street.Boxtree Limited.ISBN1-85283-161-8.
- Little, Daran (1995).The Coronation Street story: celebrating thirty five years of the street.London: Boxtree.ISBN0-7522-1019-X.
References
[edit]- ^"Coronation Street star Michael le Vell cleared over sex attack claims".Manchester Evening News.Trinity Mirror.1 January 2012.Retrieved1 January2012.
- ^"Coronation Street: Michael le Vell to return as Kevin Webster in early 2014".
- ^Not guilty: Corrie's Kevin Webster cleared of child sex abuse offencesHeraldScotland,10 September 2013. Retrieved 5 April 2014.
- ^abLittle 1995,p. 173.
- ^Kay 1991,p. 58.
- ^Johnson, Angela (21 October 2008)."What made Street star a gay icon?".Click Liverpool.(Mercury Press Agency). Archived fromthe originalon 24 July 2012.Retrieved1 January2012.
- ^Roberts, Bob (12 April 2005)."Queen St; Schoolgirl picture gets Corrie Kev new male fans".Daily Mirror.(Trinity Mirror).Retrieved1 January2012.
- ^Green, Kris (23 June 2009)."Michael Le Vell (Kevin Webster, Corrie)".Digital Spy.(Hachette Filipacchi UK).Retrieved1 January2012.
- ^ab"Coronation Street's Michael Le Vell in child sex arrest".BBC News.6 October 2011.Retrieved1 January2012.
- ^abDaniels, Colin (15 October 2011)."'Coronation Street's Michael Le Vell splits from wife ".Digital Spy.(Hearst Magazines UK).Retrieved1 January2012.
- ^Kilkelly, Daniel (6 October 2011)."'Coronation Street' actor Michael Le Vell denies sex abuse claims ".Digital Spy.(Hearst Magazines UK).Retrieved1 January2012.
- ^Wylie, Ian (11 July 2007)."Corrie star's pitch drama".Manchester Evening News.(Trinity Mirror).Retrieved1 January2012.
- ^"Business Investment - Business Investment, Small Business, Investment, New business, Entrepreneurship, Startup, small businesses, small business startup, small business".ratiomoney. Archived fromthe originalon 20 October 2007.Retrieved11 October2011.
- ^"Julian Knight: Forget the soft soap, this plot to wipe debt is just greedy".The Independent.London. 14 June 2009.Archivedfrom the original on 14 May 2022.Retrieved12 May2010.
- ^"Coronation Street star Michael Le Vell denies sex assault allegation".The Guardian.London. 6 October 2011.Retrieved2 January2012.
- ^"Soap star Michael Le Vell cleared in child sex case".BBC News.1 January 2012.Retrieved1 January2012.
- ^ab"Coronation Street's Michael Le Vell charged with child sex offences".BBC News.14 February 2013.Retrieved15 February2013.
- ^ab"ITV drops Coronation Street's Michael Le Vell from the soap amid child rape charges".The Independent.15 February 2013.Archivedfrom the original on 14 May 2022.Retrieved15 February2013.
- ^"Michael Le Vell will not appear in Coronation Street says ITV".The Bolton News. 15 February 2013.Retrieved15 February2013.
- ^"Le Vell will not appear in Corrie until after court case".ITV.com.15 February 2013.Retrieved15 February2013.
- ^"ITV: Michael Le Vell will not be appearing in Coronation Street".ITV.com.15 February 2013.Retrieved15 February2013.
- ^"Michael Le Vell Will 'Fight' Child Sex Charges".Sky News.15 February 2013.Retrieved16 February2013.
- ^"Michael Le Vell in court to face child sex abuse charges".The Guardian.21 March 2013.Retrieved21 March2013.
- ^"Coronation Street's Michael Le Vell denies child sex charges".BBC News. 17 May 2013.Retrieved18 May2013.
- ^"Michael le Vell trial: Judge tells jury their assessment of alleged victim is 'critical in this case' as they resume deliberations".10 September 2013.
- ^Nigel Bunyan"Michael Le Vell acquitted of child sex offences",theguardian.com, 10 September 2013
- ^"Coronation Street's Le Vell cleared of child rape".BBC News. 10 September 2013.Retrieved10 September2013.
- ^"Kevin Webster returns to Weatherfield".Digital Spy.11 March 2014.