James Burrows, known for his role as Ali Neeson on the ITV soap Coronation Street, has revealed he is now working as a builder. Burrows, who starred on the show from 2018 to 2020, left the program six years ago.
He established a company in 2024 that specializes in driveways and landscaping, promoting his work on Facebook and sharing completed projects on social media. Despite his acting career, which includes appearances in the Apple TV+ show 'Hijack' alongside Idris Elba, as well as 'Happy Valley' and 'Silent Witness,' Burrows has found work in the construction trade.
"James is a talented actor and had huge success but he's a jobbing actor ultimately and has a family to provide for," a source told The Sun. "He's got no problem taking on building work during quiet times between acting jobs. He's not afraid of hard work."
Burrows previously stated in 2023 that he decided to leave Coronation Street because the role of Ali "wasn't for me personally" and he was becoming "bored of playing the same character."
In related news, Coronation Street has reportedly faced internal issues concerning contract changes. Reports from February indicated that ITV had significantly reduced the number of guaranteed episodes offered to actors, leading to discontent among some cast members who were informed of "harsh changes to their contracts."