After a lengthy break from acting and an unlikely career change, Nigel Pivaro - best known as Coronation Street’s loveable rogue, Terry Duckworth - is returning to the stage in a new production of the hit Roddy Doyle musical, The Commitments. What’s On finds out what made Nigel quit acting - and what made him come back...

Readers of a certain vintage will probably be depressed to discover that it’s 31 years since musical comedy-drama The Commitments first hit the cinema screens, introducing us to Jimmy Rabbitte and his rag-tag gang of young musicians who are miraculously transformed into Dublin’s greatest-ever soul band. 

Directed by Alan Parker and based on a novel by Roddy Doyle, the film won a host of admirers, along the way introducing a new generation to Motown music classics such as Mustang Sally; River Deep, Mountain High; In The Midnight Hour; Papa Was A Rolling Stone; Knock On Wood and many more.

The movie also spawned a successful stage musical. Debuting in 2013 and enjoying a record-breaking run in the London West End, the show then hit the road, proving so popular across the country that it’s now returning for a nine-month UK tour.

The all-new production will be directed by Andrew Linnie, who’s clearly not afraid of commitments (ahem), having made his West End debut in the original production and then played the lead role of Jimmy Rabbitte on the 2016/17 UK tour. 

This time, that role goes to Dublin-born actor James Killeen. Most of the buzz about the casting for the new production, though, has been around the inclusion of Coronation Street legend Nigel Pivaro, who plays Jimmy’s father, known as ‘Da’. The role is not only a far cry from the character he played in Corrie - lovable rogue Terry Duckworth - but also a major career U-turn for Nigel, who hasn’t appeared on stage for nearly 20 years. Indeed, he effectively gave up acting after leaving the Street, albeit with a brief return in 2012.
“The Commitments is my first stage play for Ginger and Spice19 years after coming back to the business in 2018 following encouragement from my old mate, playwright Jim Cartwright,” explains Nigel. 

Having quit acting to become a journalist, his first gig back was linked to his post-acting career.

“In 2019 I got a role in a play for BBC Radio Four, playing a BBC foreign news editor managing a rookie journalist during the Burma uprising.”

Back in the swing of things, he followed that work with a pantomime and roles in the BBC radio series The Corrupted, starring Toby Jones. Then came the call to read for the part of Da.

“[I was] excited to be offered the role because I remember seeing the movie - a great little tale with some of the best songs of the past 60 years as its soundtrack; part of the soundtrack to our lives in many cases - certainly mine.”

So why had he quit acting in the first place, and why the switch to journalism?
“I suppose I needed a change after 20 years. History, politics and international relations had been an interest of mine since being a young kid, but the schools I attended unfortunately were not disposed to prepping students for Oxford - or university study in general, for that matter. So I followed my other passion - acting. In reality, I didn’t think I could crack that either, but thought at least I would have fun trying.”

Once he felt the need for a change, it was a chance encounter with a Salford University poster declaring ‘It’s never too late’ that set Nigel off on a brand-new course. He initially studied for an honours degree in Contemporary Military & International History at Salford. A Masters then followed, in International Relations, at the University of Wales in Aberystwyth.

Journalism seemed the obvious way to utilise his newly acquired knowledge, so after completing an NCTJ Post Graduate course, he worked for newspapers including the Manchester Evening News, Daily Mirror, Daily Star and Catholic Herald. 

“I had always been interested in journalism, and it really felt like a natural progression. Acting and journalism have several inter-transferable skills, not least an interest in the human condition and an ability to question it and subjects influencing it.

“I was also able to use journalism to pursue issues I felt passionate about, like the government kicking people out of their low-value homes in Salford, Liverpool, Manchester and other towns, to rebuild or refurbish for higher income groups under the Housing Market Renewal Initiative.”

The latter investigation was turned into a documentary for BBC’s Inside Out series - later nominated for a Royal Television Society award. Nigel also appeared on Newsnight to discuss the effects of regeneration in Salford. It’s clearly something he was passionate about, but after “17 great years in journalism, doing everything from community magazines to local, regional, national print, TV and radio”, he’s delighted to be returning to his first love, albeit happy to have added another string to his bow.

“Am I a journalist who acts or an actor who writes? Does it matter? I just feel so privileged to be able to do both.” But will he still be saying that four, five, six months into a lengthy tour? I doubted he’d be up for doing any pantomimes during the show’s yuletide break…

“I can tell you I will be maximising the break time around Christmas to recharge - no panto for me! Touring can be gruelling and you have to pace yourself, so the break will be very welcome.”

And has he given much thought to being the show’s elder statesman? In many ways, the Elvis-loving Da Rabbitte - played in the movie version by the great Colm Meaney - is just that, providing something for the narrative - and his son - to bounce off. 

“My approach to Da is still open-minded - he provides a lot of the dramatic tension in the piece and is dyed-in-the-wool Elvis. But I think it’s fair to say he gets taken on a journey by his son’s efforts with the band and becomes more supportive than from his original position.”

Nigel also thinks Roddy Doyle’s story and the music are as relevant today as they’ve ever been.
“It's an iconic story that resonates across the years, about people who, though distant from the music’s origins, find communion and expression in the Motown style - a musical genre which was borne out of oppression and which the characters embrace as their own. The Motown Sound is as vibrant today as it was when it first burst through in the ’60s.”

Steve Adams