David Platt has long been a favourite antagonist for Coronation Street fans.

The troublesome character has been in the show since 1990 – and he’s gone on to play a part in the soap’s biggest storylines, with viewers even seeing him torment his own family.

The son of Gail Platt is played by actor Jack P Shepherd, who took on the role in 2000.

READ MORE: Real life of Corrie’s Amy Barlow – boyfriend, age, and stunning Cheshire home

But what is his life like away from the cameras?

The award-winning actor, from Pudsey in West Yorkshire, started out in Yorkshire drama Where the Heart Is.

Jack, 34, has done stints in theatre, and recently told of how he missed out on his chance of Hollywood success as a youngster.

He had auditioned for the hit film, Billy Elliot, which came out in 2000 – the same year of his Corrie debut, the Mirror reports.

However, he flopped the audition, and Jamie Bell bagged the famous role and ended up winning a BAFTA.

During an episode of his Sofa Cinema Club podcast, that he hosts with fellow Corrie stars Colson Smith and Ben Price, Jack said: “When this film came out I was like 11 to 12-years-old and I’d obviously been for an audition.

“I was only gutted in the sense that I did not get it because of the success the film went on to do – Academy Award nominations. And I used to watch the Academy Awards religiously, getting up in the middle of the night to watch them.

“So, when you sort of see a film that you auditioned for, it could have been you and you could have been there, it’s kind of like…”

He added: “Don’t get me wrong, I don’t think I’d have done anywhere near as good a performance as Jamie Bell did.”

Colson said: “But you’d have liked the chance?” to which Jack replied: “Well, I did have the chance and I f***ed it up!”

Jack has previously opened up on the pressures of being in the public eye since childhood, having joined Corrie at the age of 12.

He underwent a second hair transplant in 2020 after admitting his receding hairline shattered his confidence, with the stress of ‘hurtful’ comments from people on social media pushing him to take action.

Jack said at the time : “I know some people will say that I am being incredibly vain having a second hair transplant so quickly after the first one.

“All I can say to that was that I needed to do it for my long-term mental well-being. I have been in Corrie for 20 years now – ever since I was 12.

“I know I have been incredibly lucky and love working with such a fantastic group of actors but the relentless schedules take their toll on your mental health, particularly when you have been through as much trauma as David Platt.

“People pick over your appearance on social media every day and some of those comments really hurt.”

Get a weekly round-up of Coronation Street news, spoilers and fan chat direct to your inbox.

The newsletter will land in your inbox on a Friday and bring you the highlights of everything we’ve written about Weatherfield that week.

It will include the latest action both on and off the cobbles, what you thought about the soap’s top storylines and what the stars are up to away from the set. Plus much more!

So you’ll never have to miss a thing.

To sign up simply follow this link and tick the box next to MEN Coronation Street.

When it comes to his real-life love life, Jack is often seen out and about on dates with his gorgeous girlfriend Hanni Treweek.

The pair have been together since 2017 and originally met on set of the long-running soap when Hanni was working as a scriptwriter.

Speaking about how they met, Jack told OK! magazine : “We met at Corrie but we only really knew each other to say hello to at work.

“Then our mutual friends got married and we were both guests at the wedding. We got chatting, I made Hanni laugh, we had a couple of drinks and we flirted. That was it.”

During the interview, they both described each other as their ‘soulmate’.

The star was previously with Lauren Shippey, his childhood sweetheart fiancée of 15 years. They share two children together, son Reuben and daughter Nyla.

Jack has shared how he was apprehensive about introducing his young children to Hanni at first.

“I was worried Hanni would end up like a Disney villain and would be seen as a horrible stepmum.,” Jack told OK!

“We were together for about a year before they met. You don’t want to introduce a new partner to small children too soon as anything could happen.

“I wasn’t sure how it was going to go down but Nyla took to Hanni immediately – they both love fashion and make-up. Reuben liked her straight away too and they quickly started asking if Hanni would be there when I picked them up.”

Read more on Coronation Street here: ITV Coronation Street fans point out issue with Adam and Lydia plot that the solicitor is missing

WATCH: Boris Johnson urged to introduce windfall tax on energy firms to offset price hike

Click here for the latest showbiz news from the Manchester Evening News