Craig Kelly

Craig Kelly (born 31 October 1970) is an English actor and voice-over narrator. He is known for his roles as Vince Tyler in the Channel 4 television series Queer as Folk and as Luke Strong in Coronation Street.

Early life Kelly was born on 31 October 1970 in Lytham St Annes near Blackpool, Lancashire. He is the brother of actor Dean Lennox Kelly.

Career Kelly moved to London and attended the Drama Centre from 1989 to 1992, where he studied the Stanislavski School of method acting alongside John Simm and Joe Duttine.

Graduating in 1992, Kelly played a minor speaking role in Titanic as Assistant Wireless Operator, Harold Bride and also as Russell Muir in the film When Saturday Comes.

TV work Kelly is best known for his role as Vince Tyler in Queer as Folk. He also appeared in Casualty as Daniel Perryman between 1995 and 1996. A very brief role was as the Mercedes-Benz driver in the "Rabbit in Your Headlights" video, who utters the line 'Nice coat, mate', before speeding off. In the 1998 BBC series of The Children of the New Forest, Craig played Abel Courbould, the villainous puritan preacher. Craig also starred opposite Amanda Holden in the ITV series The Grimleys as Mr Treblecock, the school lothario. He played the young father of Alison Mundy in a second series episode of Afterlife in 2006.

In 2003, Kelly featured in the webcast Doctor Who adventure Scream of the Shalka. He later guest-starred in the third series of the BBC's Waking the Dead, in which he played a transgender woman who is released from prison on appeal after murdering her father.

In November 2008, Kelly landed the role of the new Underworld factory boss, Luke Strong, in ITV's Coronation Street. His character first appeared on 20 February 2009 and Kelly departed in the episode that aired on 19 October 2009.

On 25 August 2009, it was announced that he would take part in Series 7 of BBC One's Strictly Come Dancing, partnering Flavia Cacace. Kelly was the 8th celebrity eliminated from the competition on 7 November 2009 in a special show from Blackpool Tower Ballroom.

Kelly starred alongside his brother in the ITV1 drama Collision, which aired over five consecutive nights in November 2009.

In 2023, he appeared as Peter Jeffries in BBC One miniseries Boat Story.

Film work He played the key role of Cristian O'Neill in The Young Americans, with Harvey Keitel (1993). Kelly was also in James Cameron's 1997 film Titanic and played the part of radio operator Harold Sydney Bride. He appeared in Spice World with a minor speaking role in which he speaks to Geri (Ginger Spice). Kelly had a small role in the 1999 sci-fi film Wing Commander playing Falk, the ship's radar man.

Voice-over work Kelly is a prolific voiceover artist, appearing on numerous adverts as well as BBC idents and, more recently, on Channel 4 idents. He narrated for various television programmes, including Channel 4's Shipwrecked: Battle of the Islands (2006–2009), E4's Shipwrecked: The Island 2011 (2s narration on Sally Morgan's Star Psychic Show, series 6 of The Real Hustle on BBC Three (a show his brother narrated for two series) and more recently, the popular Channel 4 show Rich House Poor House. He is currently the station voice for Manchester's Key 103.

Personal life Kelly and his wife Camilla married in 2009. He has a keen interest in kickboxing, in which he has a black belt.

Filmography Year Title Role Notes 1992 Screen One Uncredited TV series (episode: "Running Late") 1993 The Good Guys Stephen Croxley TV series (episode: "Old School Ties") The Young Americans Christian O'Neill Casualty Ian Wheater 1994 Beyond Bedlam Matthew Hamilton Ellington Billy Trant Television film 1995 A Touch of Frost Paul Gower TV series (episode: "Dead Male One") The Adventures of Young Indiana Jones: Attack of the Hawkmen Anthony Fokker Television film 1995–1996 Casualty Daniel Perryman Series 10 1996 When Saturday Comes Russell Muir Ellington Billy Trant 1997 Titanic Harold Bride Spice World Nervous guy 1998 Children of the New Forest Abel Corbould Television film 1999 Wing Commander Radar Man Falk Killing Joe Lead Short film 1999–2000 Queer as Folk Vince Tyler Main role 2000 Undertaker's Paradise 2001 The Grimleys Dave Trebilcock Episode: "The Grimley Curse" 2002 Clocking Off Eddie Mackintosh Episode: "Mack's Story" Having It Off Billy Bob Rivers Episode: "Lock, Stock, and Two Smoking Hairdryers" Silent Cry Robert Mosley 2003 Oh Marbella! Ashley Helen of Troy Pollux Voice only; 5 episodes 3 Blind Mice Frank Spine Chillers Jack TV series (episode: "The Lovegods") Waking the Dead Mark/Maria Lovell TV series (episode: "Walking on Water" (Parts 1 and 2)" Doctor Who: Scream of the Shalka Joe 2005 Silent Witness Connelly TV series (episode: "Choices: Part 1") 2006 Hotel Babylon Pete Recurring role (series 1) Totally Frank Nick Recurring role (series 2) Dalziel and Pascoe Eddie Wilcox Episode: "Fallen Angel: Part 1 & 2" Afterlife Young Stan Mundy Episode: "Mind the Bugs Don't Bite" 2006–2009 Shipwrecked: Battle of the Islands Narrator 2007 Are You Ready for Love? Leo The Soul Rescuer Shadow Man Short film 2008 The Gatekeeper Jack Video The Real Hustle Narrator Series 6 2009 Hammered Rod Short film Collision Jeffrey Rampton Recurring role Coronation Street Luke Strong 78 episodes Strictly Come Dancing Contestant Series 7 2012 Monroe Phil Indale Episode: "No. 2.4" Circles Estate Agent Short film A Life's Debt Julian Short film2017 Fish Finger Sandwich Ivor Short film 2017–2022 Rich House Poor House Narrator 2019 Trick or Treat Greg Kielty Also producer 2021 The Mallorca Files Lee Flack Episode: "The Beautiful Game" 2023 Boat Story Peter Jeffries 4 episodes