He’s known to millions as the hapless Steve McDonald in Coronation Street.
But to Cheshire locals, actor Simon Gregson is known as their local tea man who supported his lovely wife, Emma Gleave, as she started up her own coffee house.
But the family’s latest venture could be coming to the end of its line, as the award-winning business – Morley Tea Rooms – faces closure following new development plans.
An application for four homes on the business site was approved last month despite the council receiving 188 objections.
This has put the future of Emma and Simon’s business, located near Wilmslow, at risk.
Uncertain: Coronation Street’s Simon Gregson and his wife Emma are being forced to shut down their award-winning café to make way for new development despite objections
Future: Since Emma took over the tearooms in October 2022, its popularity and success has soared
Since Emma took over the tearooms in October 2022, its popularity and success has soared.
After a surprising career from soaps to scones, Emma has won awards for her impressive baking skills.
In a previous interview with Birmingham Online, Simon said: ‘It’s amazing what Emma has done already here, I’m so proud. People are queuing out of the door for her cakes.
‘There’s a group of ladies here who want to nominate her for an award for her cakes, and people are now coming in asking if they can buy whole Victoria sponges they’re that popular.’
Emma – who shares sons Alfie, 15, Harry, 13 and Henry, six, with Simon – works seven days a week but claims she would not have it any other way.
While Simon leaves Emma to her own devices at the shop, he has been spotted at the tearoom during his break from TV.
The Corrie veteran was forced to take an extended break from the show after suffering a nasty fall and fracturing his leg in six places last October.
The actor, who has appeared in the show since 1989, was spotted helping behind the till thanks to his new-found spare time.
Unhappy: An application for four homes on the business site was approved last month despite the council receiving 188 objections
Help: This has put the future of Emma and Simon’s business, located near Wilmslow, at risk just days after the star revealed the first decade of Corrie was ‘hell’ (pictured December 2021)
The threat of the shop’s future comes just days after Simon revealed that the first decade of him playing Steve McDonald was ‘hell’.
Simon first hit the Corrie cobbles in 1989 – aged just 15 – and at the beginning, he had his fair share of questionable dealings.
He was married seven times to five different women and became more of a comedic character, and is now seen as a soap legend.
In an interview with The Sun, Simon said: ‘I used to be a terrible worrier, which affected me massively. I went through a time where I was so worried about stuff that I actually started to get a bit of a problem, doubt myself, hate myself, worry about everything.
‘It was a problem, took me a while to get out of the situation. But I just suddenly thought to myself, when I’m on my deathbed, am I going to sit there and go, “I wish I worried more”— and it was like an epiphany.’
Earlier this year, Simon opened up about his mental health and how he has finally got control over the condition.
He revealed that he had crippling anxiety for decades and lived in fear of what other people thought of him.
Simon said he was desperate for people to like him and was left in a vicious cycle of over-sharing and over-caring.
The star has since seen a psychiatrist, who has diagnosed him with anxiety and has started to overcome it with medication.
MailOnline has contacted Simon’s representatives for comment.
