Greg Wood as Rick Neelan in Coronation Street (Image: ITV)
Coronation Street fans have been stunned to learn that two of the show’s characters are actually brothers off-screen.
Actor Matt Milburn, known for his role as the local football hero Tommy Orpington since October 2016, has been a recurring presence until he and Tracy McDonald (played by Kate Ford) left Weatherfield for Spain in a steamy affair storyline.
The surprising connection was revealed in real life between Matt and actor Greg Wood, best recognized as menacing gangster Rick Neelan.
Rick Neelan’s reign of terror shook the ITV soap’s residents after debuting in 2009, culminating in his death at the hands of Gary Windass (portrayed by Mikey North) in 2019.
Besides his nefarious role, Greg Wood also starred as Trevor Royle in Hollyoaks and Terry Gibson in Brookside.
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Matt Milburn playing Tommy Orpington in Coronation Street (Image: ITV)
It was watching his older brother Greg that inspired Matt to pursue acting, though the siblings never graced the cobbled streets of Weatherfield simultaneously.
Openly sharing his inspiration, Matt once told TV Times: “Watching my brother in his first college play ignited my fire for it [acting],” adding, “Seeing the adrenaline surge through him afterwards, I thought: ‘I’d love to give that a go.’ But I just never did.”
“Greg was scheduled to film a university play, but after landing a role in Brookside, he recommended me without my knowledge. The play was Patrick Marber’s Dealer’s Choice, which revolves around poker.
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Matt is the real-life brother of actor Greg (Image: ITV)
He continued: “We filmed in the basement at night, and it was exhilarating! About three weeks later, I auditioned for Hollyoaks – it was like my university experience.”
On Facebook, fans expressed their surprise at discovering Matt and Greg are brothers. One fan wrote: “SAY WHAT? ! ! Today years old when I found out Rick (Greg Wood) and Tommy O (Matt Milburn) are brothers in real life.”
Another commented: “It’s funny cause when Tommy came back in I thought it was the guy Gary killed, that would explain why they look so alike lol.” A third fan added: “Wow …. No wonder I’m thinking it was him who Gary killed.” Other fans reacted with surprise, saying “Didn’t know that” and “They look similar.”