Bruce Jones

Ian Royston Jones (born 24 January 1953), better known as Bruce Jones, is an English actor.

After years acting in addition to day jobs, Jones' first big break came in 1993, when he was cast in the lead role of Bob Williams in Ken Loach's feature film Raining Stones.

The film won the Evening Standard British Film Awards for Best Film and Best Screenplay.

In 1995, Jones had a role as a prostitute's client in Band of Gold.

In 1996 he appeared in Shane McGovern's Hillsborough.

He is best known for his role as taxi driver Les Battersby in Coronation Street from 1997 to 2007.

Jones was born in Collyhurst, Manchester.

As a child, he spent two years on a hospital isolation ward with rheumatic fever.

When he was 12, his parents separated and he was expelled from school, after which he was raised in North Wales by his grandmother.

He left school at 16 and worked as a pipe fitter; he was also a fireman.

Jones had a teacher who encouraged him to become an actor.

He and a friend formed a comedy duo, "Clark and Jones", and he began using his father's name, Bruce Jones, as his stage name.

In 1997, he had a small part in the film The Full Monty and also appeared with Bob Hoskins in the Shane Meadows film Twenty Four Seven.

From July 1997 to May 2007, Jones had joined the cast of the ITV soap opera Coronation Street as the outspoken rogue Les Battersby.

Over the following years, Jones gained numerous credits for film and television productions including: Heartbeat, A Touch of Frost, the pilot episode of Harry Hill's TV Burp, and Roughnecks.

He appeared as Dean Martin in Celebrity Stars in Their Eyes, Mr. Bumble in Oliver for Children in Need, and the Robber in Granada's televised Christmas pantomime Cinderella.

He also made several television appearances in game shows and chat shows.

In March 2007, he was suspended from Coronation Street after allegedly getting drunk with an undercover reporter, making inappropriate comments and revealing future storylines.

It was confirmed in May that he won't be returning to the show, and would be suspended until his contract ended in September.

Jones notes that he was one of the victims of since discredited reporter Mazher Mahmood, and has said that his departure from the programme was voluntary.

Jones performed stand-up comedy routines in Benidorm.

On 23 March 2008, he featured in Celebrity Wife Swap with Sinitta.

He played Mick the Manager in the film Souled Out, and also appeared on the TV programme The Dark Side of Fame with Piers Morgan.

With four other celebrities, Jones took part in the BBC One show Famous, Rich and Homeless, broadcast in June 2009.

The five temporarily lived on the streets of London.

Jones was clearly the most affected by the experience, regularly seen breaking into tears and considering pulling out of the programme.

He ranted to the camera advocating reinstatement of hanging in the UK, in order to free up funds to assist the homeless and pensioners.

He referenced his horrific discovery of one of the Yorkshire Ripper's victims, describing himself as a victim.

In November 2009, Jones appeared in Celebrity Come Dine with Me.

The competition also featured presenter Yvette Fielding and Atomic Kitten member Natasha Hamilton and was won by former Catchphrase host Roy Walker.

Also in 2009, he worked with Manchester-based production company Gritish Films, featuring in the short film Down Our Way, alongside Inspiral Carpets vocalist Clint Boon and actor Gary Graham Smith.

During the 2009–10 Christmas season, Jones appeared as King Rat in the pantomime Dick Whittington at the Contemporary Urban Centre.

In 2011, he performed as Captain Hook and Mr. Darling in Peter Pan at the Blackfriars Arts Centre in Boston.

He struggled with this role and was reported to have lost his voice.

In April 2012, Jones appeared in a music video for the British rock band Never A Hero which was featured on Kerrang! TV.

In 2013, while also working as a mechanic, Jones appeared in a one-man play about tackling and recovering from depression, ''TALK!!

Tackling the Taboo'', which he commissioned from author and playwright Huw Roberts.

On 22 August 2013, Jones entered the Celebrity Big Brother house with his screen Coronation Street ex-wife, Vicky Entwistle; on 6 September 2013, he was the fourth housemate to be evicted, on the same day as Dustin Diamond.

In April 2014, production started on a Welsh feature film called Cream where Jones plays the lead character Ron Harris.

Filming took place in and around Llandudno.