Fans who want my autograph are just weird

Corrie's Simon on why he avoids his admirers

- PATRICK HILL

CORONATION Street legend Simon Gregson hates giving autographs to the soap's "weird" fans.

The actor, who has played Steve McDonald for 35 years, admits he usually drives past admirers gathered outside the show's set, fearing they will scratch his precious car's paint.

Simon says: "I'm massively into my cars... they're my thing and I don't want people with bags and metal things all crowding round it and scratching the hell out of it. So I'm, like, 'No!"

The 49-year-old is one of the country's most recognisable TV stars, having appeared in more than 3,600 episodes of the ITV soap.

But he has struggled with the attention fame brings, and even admits being repulsed by superfans.

Simon says: "There'd be people on the gate all the time asking for photographs and sometimes asking for a kiss, which was horrible.

"There was a certain elderly lady who always had biscuits round her mouth and she would go, 'Give us a kiss!' It was, yeah... weird days. You never get used to it."

Speaking about stardom, the actor who reportedly earns £150,000 a year - says: "I don't understand why anyone would want to be famous. It is the downside of the job.

ANNOYED