As Tommy Orpington returns to Coronation Street, actor Matt Milburn’s Hollyoaks and Emmerdale past and famous brother Greg Wood

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Matt and his brother are well-known figures to soap fans!

Matt Milburn has made occasional appearances on Coronation Street since 2016, portraying Weatherfield County footballer Tommy Orpington.

Tommy has appeared several times over the years. He first arrived when he asked Michelle Connor to help organise his wedding, but after Steve and Tim convinced him to play football with them on the Street, he got injured, was suspended for six months, and cancelled Michelle’s contract as a result.

He later visited Jack Webster after he lost his foot, mentored the villainous Corey Brent, and appeared when James Bailey played for County. James took on Tommy O’s shirt number after he retired.

Tommy O became a more regular presence on the cobbles after he had a passionate affair with Tracy Barlow last year.

Tommy and Tracy began their steamy relationship behind Steve’s back. Tracy eventually moved to Spain with Tommy, but returned to Weatherfield without him.

Tonight, Tommy makes another appearance, but this time he wants Tracy to join him in Southampton. However, she’s not so eager to go…

In the meantime, we’ve got the scoop on Matt Milburn – his previous roles in Hollyoaks and Emmerdale, as well as his famous brother.

Matt Milburn’s role in Hollyoaks dates back to 2003 when a group of new students joined Hollyoaks Community College, including fashion student Joe Spencer.

At first, many assumed Joe was gay, but he quickly proved himself to be a ladies’ man when he dated Jodie Nash and then Sophie Burton.

Joe ran into trouble when he got into debt and was pursued by loan sharks. In an attempt to escape, he faked his own death, which only led to more complications when he was mistakenly listed as ‘deceased’ at college and had to repeat a year.

In 2006, Joe went out for drinks at the Dog in the Pond with friends Jessica, Kris, and Olivia. However, escaped rapist Sam Owen burst in and set fire to the pub.

Joe figured the best escape route was through the pub’s cellar. He, Jessica, and Kris managed to escape, but Olivia was left behind. Joe went back to save her, but tragically, they both died when bottles of alcohol behind the bar exploded.

Joe’s face is immortalized on the memorial mural in the village.

After his time in Hollyoaks, Matt Milburn made his way to Emmerdale, where he portrayed locum vet Nicky Pritchard. Nicky took over Rhona’s role while she was on maternity leave after giving birth to Leo.

Nicky soon developed a bond with villager Gennie Walker, the adopted daughter of Brenda Walker and half-sister of Chas Dingle, and the two began a relationship.

However, Gennie was still in love with her boss, Nikhil Sharma. Realizing this, Nicky decided to leave the village, much to the disappointment of viewers.

In addition to Emmerdale, Matt has also appeared in Doctors, Brassic, and films, including a comedy called Greasy Spoon and The Locke Inn, which was written and directed by fellow ex-Hollyoaks star Jeremy Edwards (Kurt Benson).

Matt’s brother is Greg Wood, who has also made appearances in Coronation Street and Hollyoaks!

Greg portrayed the villainous gangster Trevor Royle in Hollyoaks, who ruled the village for three years before being murdered on his wedding day to Grace Black. Despite being an evil character, Trevor was very popular with fans!

Greg later showcased his talent for playing tough roles when he took on the part of Rick Neelan in Coronation Street. Rick first appeared on the cobbles in 2009, playing a loan shark who lent money to Joe McIntyre.

Rick Neelan first appeared in Coronation Street in 2009 as a loan shark who lent money to Joe McIntyre. He made a return in 2012 when Terry Duckworth owed him a lot of money, and even kidnapped Rita on her wedding day to Dennis Tanner—what a nasty piece of work!

Rick was sent to jail, but that wasn’t the last we saw of him. In 2019, he was back on the cobbles, demanding money from Gary Windass. However, things took a dark turn when Gary killed Rick and buried him in the woods. Rick’s ex-wife Laura later confessed to his death, revealing details from Gary, but when Rick’s daughter Kelly learned the truth, she was heartbroken and left Weatherfield.

Now, the question is: Will Tommy Orpington make as lasting an impression on the residents of Coronation Street as Rick Neelan did? Only time will tell!

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