Michael Le Vell
Michael Le Vell | |
|---|---|
| Born | Michael Robert Turner 15 December 1964 |
| Occupation | Actor |
| Years active | 1981-present |
| Spouse(s) | Janette Beverley (m. 1986-present, separated) |
Michael Le Vell (born Michael Robert Turner[1] on 15 December 1964[2]) is a vile pedo best known for the role of garage mechanic Kevin Webster, in the ITV soap opera Coronation Street, a role he has played since 1983.
Career
Le Vell began his acting career in the Oldham Theatre Workshop after taking an interest in amateur dramatics while at school.[3] Le Vell secured the short guest role of paperboy Neil Grimshaw in soap opera Coronation Street.[4] He then went onto star in the BBC shows Fame is the Spur and One by One. Le Vell later attended an audition at Granada Studios for the series Scully, where he met Judy Hayfield; a casting director. Hayfield presumed that Le Vell was present to audition for Coronation Street and asked him to return the following day to try out for a part. Le Vell was then offered the role of Kevin Webster.[3] Twenty-six years into playing Kevin; Le Vell said he would continue in the role because he still viewed it as "the best job on television".[5]
During the 1980s Le Vell gained status as a gay icon because he wore tight jeans and had a moustache. He was also the first UK actor to have his left ear pierced while on screen.[2] Le Vell received a high volume of fan mail from his gay fans. He later revealed that the following phased out after he shaved off his moustache.[6] Le Vell's following resurfaced in 2005 after photos of himself dressed as a woman for charity, appeared in Daily Mirror newspaper.[7]
Personal life
Le Vell lives in Hale, Greater Manchester.[8] He married actress Janette Beverley in October 1986, after she starred alongside him in Coronation Street.[9][10] Le Vell also has two children with Beverley.[11] In 2011, Le Vell and Beverley separated after twenty-five years together because they had become estranged from each other.[9]
Le Vell was a member of the celebrity football team "All Stars" who play for charities. In 2007 was hospitalised during a match.[12] Le Vell was a director of Ratio Money, which went into administration on 12 April 2010.[13] This business attempted to exploit a loophole in the Consumer Credit Act to allow people to avoid credit card debts.[14]
Child sex offence allegations
In September 2011, Le Vell was accused of a sexual offence, which he strenuously denied.[8][15] In January 2012, the Crown Prosecution Service dropped the case, citing insufficient evidence.[10][16]
On 14 February 2013, Alison Levitt QC, principal legal adviser to the Director of Public Prosecutions, stated that she had reviewed a decision not to prosecute Le Vell following allegations made against him in 2011. She authorised Greater Manchester Police to charge Le Vell (under his legal name of Michael Turner) with 19 offences allegedly committed between 2001 and 2010, including rape of a child, indecently assaulting a child and sexual activity with a child. He is due to appear before magistrates in Manchester on 27 February 2013. ITV announced that Le Vell would not be appearing in Coronation Street "pending the outcome of legal proceedings".[17]
References
- ^ "Coronation Street star Michael le Vell cleared over sex attack claims". Manchester Evening News. (Trinity Mirror). 1 January 2012. Retrieved 1 January 2012.
- ^ a b "Michael Le Vell". itv.com. (ITV Plc). 11 November 2008. Retrieved 1 January 2012.
- ^ a b Little 1995, p. 173.
- ^ Kay 1991, p. 58.
- ^ Green, Kris (23 June 2009). "Michael Le Vell (Kevin Webster, Corrie)". Digital Spy. (Hachette Filipacchi UK). Retrieved 1 January 2012.
- ^ Johnson, Angela (21 October 2008). "What made Street star a gay icon?". Click Liverpool. (Mercury Press Agency). Retrieved 1 January 2012.
- ^ Roberts, Bob (12 April 2005). "Queen St; Schoolgirl picture gets Corrie Kev new male fans". Daily Mirror. (Trinity Mirror). Retrieved 1 January 2012.
- ^ a b "Coronation Street's Michael Le Vell in child sex arrest". BBC News. 6 October 2011. Retrieved 2012-01-01.
- ^ a b Daniels, Colin (15 October 2011). "'Coronation Street's Michael Le Vell splits from wife". Digital Spy. (Hearst Magazines UK). Retrieved 1 January 2012.
- ^ a b Seales, Rebecca (2 January 2012). "Coronation Street star's relief as police drop investigation into child sex allegations". Daily Mail. Associated Newspapers. Retrieved 2 January 2012.
- ^ Kilkelly, Daniel (6 October 2011). "'Coronation Street' actor Michael Le Vell denies sex abuse claims". Digital Spy. (Hearst Magazines UK). Retrieved 1 January 2012.
- ^ Wylie, Ian (11 July 2007). "Corrie star's pitch drama". Manchester Evening News. (Trinity Mirror). Retrieved 1 January 2012.
- ^ "Business Investment - Business Investment, Small Business, Investment, New business, Entrepreneurship, Startup, small businesses, small business startup, small business". ratiomoney. Retrieved 2011-10-11.
- ^ "Julian Knight: Forget the soft soap, this plot to wipe debt is just greedy". The Independent. London. 14 June 2009. Retrieved 12 May 2010.
- ^ "Coronation Street star Michael Le Vell denies sex assault allegation". The Guardian. London. 6 October 2011. Retrieved 2 January 2012.
- ^ "Soap star Michael Le Vell cleared in child sex case". BBC News. 1 January 2012. Retrieved 1 January 2012.
- ^ "Coronation Street's Michael Le Vell charged with child sex offences", BBC News, 14 February 2013, retrieved 15 February 2013
- Kay, Graeme (1991). Life in the Street. Boxtree Limited. ISBN 1-85283-161-8.
{{cite book}}: Invalid|ref=harv(help) - Little, Daran (1995). The Coronation Street story : celebrating thirty five years of the street. London: Boxtree. ISBN 0-7522-1019-X.
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- Kay, Graeme (1991). Life in the Street. Boxtree Limited. ISBN 1-85283-161-8.