Coronation Street star Calum Lill’s life with new fiancée Roberta after tough year

The Joel Deering actor has become Coronation Street’s latest villain, however, in real life he is flying high after recently popping the question to his girlfriend of three years

Calum Lill has been causing chaos in Coronation Street this past year playing Joel Deering.

From getting Roy Cropper framed for murder to beating Lauren Bolton so badly that she went into hiding.

But in real life, he is flying high after getting engaged to his girlfriend Roberta after admitting that they've "hardly" seen each other during the past year because of his career.

Read more: Coronation Street star Jane Hazlegrove’s 30-year romance with EastEnders actress

Read more: Coronation Street star Peter Ash’s romance with nurse, blended family and new role

Acting career

Calum isn’t a stranger to the soap world, with the actor previously appearing in several popular shows.

He played a character called Conor Henson in one episode of Holby City back in 2019 and in an episode of Doctors as Chez Wilson-Needham that same year.

He enjoyed a 13 episode arc in Hollyoaks in 2021, playing P.C. Smith.

More recently, he joined the cast of Coronation Street in 2023 to play Joel Deering - the former solicitor fiancé of Dee-Dee Bailey who is the father of Lauren Bolton's son Frankie.

His character has been involved in serious drama since arriving in Weatherfield, which included him beating Lauren so badly that she disappeared and went into hiding, resulting in Roy Cropper being framed for her murder.

His storyline is set to only get more dramatic after people were left to believe that he took his only life, but now no-one is sure about his true whereabouts.

Leaving the entertainment business

Calum was ready to pack his bags and leave his acting career behind because he didn’t think he would get a job that would pay the bills.

“I took myself off to the key safe cupboard. I had a little cry to myself, and was like, ‘It’s OK, you’ve not got it. So close, but so far’,” the 28-year-old actor told the Manchester Evening News.

“And then my phone started vibrating in my pocket, and it was my agent. I walked on to the forecourt. And he went, ‘You got it’. And, like the absolute drama queen that I am, I just fell to my knees. I was sobbing. I couldn’t speak.

“I was getting to the age where we wanted to save up for a house. And I just thought, ‘98% of actors don’t act full-time. Unfortunately, I think I’m in that 98%’.”

He shared that he was nearly “homeless” during the pandemic because the television industry shut down.

“Most actors, despite being professional actors, you still have to have a job to do, between jobs,” he said on the ‘Me, Myself and Hopefully You…?’ podcast in 2021.

“Unless you're in the top one per cent. It's a hustle. That's what a lot of theatre actors struggle with. They love theatre, but it only pays enough to cover your rent while in you're in the job...You've then got to go back to waiting tables.”

Newly engaged

Callum recently popped the big question to his partner Roberta McClarron. The couple, who began dating around the start of 2021, announced their engagement back in June.

He shared a snap of them hugging, with him pictured in a tight black women’s swimsuit in one picture.

In the caption, he wrote: “About time I made an honest woman of her. Celebrated with drinks in the hot tub but Roberta thought it would be funny to remove my swimming shorts from the suitcase. Thanks @dolly_rose_campbell for lending me your spare cossie. I think I rocked it tbf.”

Last month, he also penned a very touching tribute to Roberta, who he credited for supporting him with his career this past year.

He said: “Ah my partner in crime. For the last year I’ve been totally focused on my career which has meant you have come second and I’ve hardly seen you. Some people might have gotten upset or pissed off at this, but you have done nothing but support me in chasing my dream.

“On top of your own job, you’ve looked after our home. You’ve done pretty much all of the cooking & cleaning, all my washing, the pots, the decorating, and you’ve taken it in your stride and never grumbled even on the many days when I was gone before you woke up and got into bed after you were asleep.

“You did this because you knew it’s what I needed and you supported me completely. I’m so grateful to have you in my life and that you agreed to marry me. Thanks for being amazing.”

Join RSVP Live's WhatsApp community to get celebrity news and our top stories