Coronation Street fans were left gobsmacked after discovering that two former characters from the show are actually siblings in real life.
Matt Milburn, who played Weatherfield footballer Tommy Orpington from October 2016 until his departure last year, is the real-life brother of Greg Wood, who portrayed the notorious villain Rick Neelan.
Tommy was a regular face on the cobbles until he fled to Spain with Tracy McDonald (played by Kate Ford) following a scandalous affair storyline. The pair bonded over a shared interest when Tommy worked as a painter and decorator, eventually seizing an opportunity to work abroad together.
However, it’s only recently come to light for some soap enthusiasts that Matt is actually related to Greg, who played Corrie’s infamous bad boy Rick Neelan. Known for his ruthless behaviour, Rick arrived on the scene in 2009 and quickly became a menace to the locals, particularly tormenting Gary Windass (played by Mikey North).
In 2019, in a bid to protect his family, Gary ended up murdering Rick and hiding his body in the woods. Rick also left behind a daughter, Kelly, played by Doctor Who’s Millie Gibson, reports Leicestershire Live.
Away from the spotlight of Coronation Street, Greg has taken on other roles in popular TV shows, including Trevor Royle in Hollyoaks and Terry Gibson in Brookside.
Following in his brother’s footsteps, Matt pursued a career in acting, although their paths on Corrie never crossed on screen.
“Watching my brother in his first college play ignited my fire for it [acting],” Matt divulged to TV Times. “Seeing the adrenaline surge through him afterwards, I thought: ‘I’d love to give that a go.’ But I just never did.
“Greg was supposed to film a play for his university friends, but he landed a role in Brookside, so he suggested my name without informing me. The play was Dealer’s Choice by Patrick Marber it revolves around poker.”
He added: “We shot it in the basement at night, and it was such a thrill! About three weeks later, I got an audition for Hollyoaks it felt like my university.”
Corrie enthusiasts on Facebook are stunned to discover Matt and Greg are siblings off-screen. One fan posted: “SAY WHAT? Today years old when I found out Rick (Greg Wood) and Tommy O (Matt Milburn) are brothers in real life.”
Another quipped: “It’s funny cause when Tommy came back in I thought it was the guy Gary killed, that would explain why they look so alike lol”. A third contributed: “Wow….No wonder I’m thinking it was him who Gary killed.
“Didn’t know that”, commented one surprised viewer, while another exclaimed: “They look similar.”
Beyond Corrie, Matt has graced our screens in Emmerdale as Nicky Pritchard in 2011 and in Hollyoaks as Joe Spencer from 2003 to 2006.
Not to be outdone, their sister Jenny Milburn also had her moment in Hollyoaks’ limelight, portraying Billie Johnson back in 2004. She starred with Matt in Hollyoaks: After Hours, portraying a firefighter.
