I've had more steamy cliches in Weatherfield than Earls Park Sunday Mail - 4/10/2005

There are few people who would claim Coronation Street is raunchier than Footballers' Wives - But Philip Bretherton has enjoyed a more torrid time behind closed doors in Weatherfield than he ever did on millionaire's row as the manager of TV's most notorious football club, Earls Park FC.

The 49-year-old actor is risking the wrath of soap fans as married garage owner Ian Davenport, Sally Webster's (Sally Whittaker) smooth talking boss who has used his wealth and charm to lure her into having an affair.

But before that he starred as Stefan Hauser, European manager of the dysfunctional football team who, along with their glamorous wives, scored in bed more than they ever did on the pitch. And life on the infamous show was never as hot as it is in Weatherfield.

Philip said: 'People say to me, 'Footballers' Wives? You must have a had a great time!' 'But didn't get to drive any of the cars or sleep with any of the women. The only people I saw naked were hairy footballers and, not being that way inclined, I can't say it was that special.

I've had more clinches in Coronation Street.' Philip, who hails from Preston in Lancashire, spent two series playing the serious German manager. The outrageous series returned for a fourth series last week and has become even more over-the-top. Philip admits he has been amazed by its success.

He said: 'I never thought it would be as big as it is. thought it might be cult TV at best. 'When we first read the scripts our reaction was, 'You're not going to get away with this,' but we kind of knew the tabloids would come round and embrace it. 'We thought the broadsheets would see it as another example of how low television had sunk. Instead, they loved it and saw it as ironic, camp and tongue-in-cheek.

'I'm not so sure it was ever meant that way but of course everybody started saying, 'Oh yes, it was so tongue-in-cheek all along.' 'To be fair, when the second series was being made there was a temptation to make it even camper but they were very rigid in making sure it was played straight.'

Philip is also a staunch defender of Corrie's Ian Davenport. The illicit affair has sparked the ire of viewers who don't like the idea of the wealthy businessman breaking up one of the Street's favourite couples - Kevin Webster (Michael Le Vell) and Sally - and the hurt it will cause to their children Rosie (Helen Flanagan) and Sophie (Brooke Vincent). But as far as Philip's concerned, while Ian may have a string of affairs behind him, he is not a bad lot, just misunderstood. He said: 'I look at the character from the point of view that he's a good guy.

'Rather than saying, 'Look what I've got,' in the material sense, he completely blind-sided Sally by saying 'I love you'. That has totally thrown her. 'He's not an aggressive sexual predator. don't think he's a bad guy. His point of view is that he loves his family and he loves Sally and as long as neither find out about the other, then everybody's happy and he's not doing anything wrong.'

But in soapland the path of true love affairs never runs smooth. After daughter Rosie discovered the affair, Sally said she would end it. But before heading off on holiday with her family she was distraught to discover Ian had employed a glamorous assistant, Lisa Ditchfield (Andrea McEwan), to cover for her. Sally is now at her wits' end worrying about whether she will have a job to come back to and about Ian starting an affair with the former model who is doing her job while she's away.

Philip said: 'The beauty of it is the way it's written is you can't tell where it's going to go. 'When I first started on the show my brother was convinced Sally and Kevin and Ian and his wife were going to become swingers!'

Ian himself has been with his partner, actress Sherry, since 1988. They met when she was playing Cinderella and he was an Ugly Sister. Their shared profession means she is relaxed about his love scenes on screen. Philip joked: 'It's just my acting she's critical of! She seen me do things so often she knows all the little quirks and tics that I have better than me.'

Soap being soap, the affair with Sally is bound to end in tears. Ian's unsure what the future holds but would be more than happy to stay on in the Street - and continue working with Corrie stalwart Sally Whittaker. He said: 'Sally's not guarded in a way a lot of people are when someone comes in from the outside.

She's very open and a very good actress and I've really enjoyed working with her. We spark off each other well. 'I really enjoy the fact that amidst the affair and going behind people's backs there are lighter moments as well, which is very typical of Coronation Street. 'I am here until spring and I think it may be time for the character to go but I don't know what is planned. 'I'd be more than happy to stay on. It is such a good crowd and I've enjoyed every minute of it.'

Philip has just finished filming two special episodes of long-running comedy series As Time Goes By, in which he has starred with Dame Judi Dench and Geoffrey Palmer since 1992. He is also a veteran of TV shows including Casualty, when he played nurse Duffy's (Cathy Shipton) boyfriend Andrew back in 2001.

But it is his stint on Footballers' Wives which has helped prepare him for the recognition which comes with starring in the country's biggest soap - although he is still getting to grips with how serious some fans take it.

 He said: 'People look twice more often but I tend to get asked, 'Are you famous?' and the answer is, 'Obviously not, if you are having to ask me!' 'I've had nothing untoward but Michael Le Vell has received letters from well-meaning little old ladies telling him that they think he ought to know Sally is having an affair behind his back.

It's a different world but I had a taste of it in Footballer's Wives. 'Sven Goran Eriksson had just been appointed manager of England and although I was a background character had grey hair, steel-rimmed spectacles and could do a passable European accent' If people recognized me they tended to shout 'Sven' at me rather than 'Stefan' - don't think that says a lot for my German accent.

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Sleazy Ian Davenport is a man used to getting his own way and this week he makes it clear to Sally Webster that he’s not going to take no for an answer. Determined to lure his new assistant into bed, the businessman resorts to emotional blackmail when he tells Sally he can’t face working together if they can’t be together – and she’ll have to resign from her job at his car showroom!

"Ian is a pretty immoral person,” concedes Philip Bretherton, who plays him. “But at least he says what he feels and there doesn’t seem to be any hypocrisy about him. He goes out to get what he wants. Having confessed his love for her, Ian is disappointed that Sally fails to jump into his arms and his frustration only increases when she and her husband, Kevin  have planned a nice family holiday with their girls.

“Ian isn’t happy when he realises things are going pretty well in the Websters’ family home life,” explains Philip. “His own relationship is fading and he’s looking for some excitement. The idea that Sally won’t give in to his charms isn’t one he’s wiling to consider...”

So the determined Davenport uses some emotional blackmail to force poor Sally into a impossible situation. ”Ian tells Sally he can’t be around he every day feeling like he does about her,”  smiles Philip “She’s never been in such a good position job wise and  can’t bear the thought of losing that. She has no idea what to do next.

“Ian’s a bit taken aback by what Sally does do, though. He expects her to be unable to resist him. So when she aggress to leave her job, he’s stunned,” But when it looks like Sally’s mind is made up, she’s soon wondering if a bit of extra-marital fun might be the answer to her family’s money troubles – after all, , it would mean she could keep her job.

“Sally obviously fancies Ian,” says Philip. She never actually says no to him. It makes him start to wonder whether things may not so good for her at home either….

I’m not too sure how he’s react if Sally asked him to leave his marriage for her, though,. He might have to backtrack on the declarations of love a bit!” While Ian is busy revealing himself to b a grade A love rat, Philip is loving playing such a badly behaved character. “To have such a good storyline has been a big relief,” enthuses Philip, who is best known for playing Team Manager Stefan Hauser in Footballers’ Wives.

“You can be in any show and if your part isn’t great then you’re not gong to be satisfied, but this is fantastic stuff.” Philip is also enjoying filming with Corrie actress Sally Whittaker, who plays Sally.

A new doctor breezes into Casualty this week and, while female fans will welcome the sight of the dashing Dr Andrew Bower, one person will be horrified to see him at Holby. Sister Lisa 'Duffy' Duffin doesn't want Dr Bower anywhere near her workplace - because he's her husband and he's in her bad books!

'Their relationship has been going through a sticky patch and Andrew thinks that he can rekindle things by working with her,' says Philip Bretherton, who plays him. 'He doesn't discuss it with her, he just turns up.' All we really know about the medic is that he's the father of Duffy's two sons and that he's had at least one affair.

'I knew I had a tough job on my hands when I took the part. Duffy is one the best-liked characters and people are bound to take her side. I hope I can make them warm to him,' says 45-year-old Philip. When we last saw Dr Bower, in 1992, he looked different, because he was played by Attachments actor William Gaminara. And if the new-look Dr Bower looks familiar, that's because Philip has played Alistair in the BBC1 comedy As Time Goes By for the last eight years.

'My functions as Alistair was to pop up and annoy people,' he says. Although Philip was nervous about joining the Casualty team, his only real problem was coping with the blood and gore. 'I'm a bit squeamish,' he confesses. 'I had to do a horrible scene where this guy was in an accident and had a central heating pipe spearing his leg. I had to pull the pipe out through this fake leg and it made a horrible noise. I concentrated really hard and managed to do it without looking too terrified,' he laughs.

Philip is no stranger to real hospitals, however. 'I've been to casualty a few times, especially as a kid. I think the worst time was when I was beaten up by a gang. It was my own fault, as this guy snatched my fish and chips and threw them on the ground. My temper got the better of me and I went for him - then I woke up in hospital!'

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