Rupert Hill makes acting return after years running Manchester pubs

Rupert Hill, the Coronation Street actor who played Jamie Baldwin from 2004 to 2008, has signaled a return to acting after years away from show business to run pubs in Manchester. The 47-year-old has co-owned venues including Castle Hotel, Gulliver's and the Eagle Inn, all in the city, with his wife, former Corrie co-star Jenny Platt. Hill’s comeback is highlighted by his collaboration on the short film Operation Magpie, in which he stars and co-directs alongside Hes HM Hesmondhalgh. The project landed on YouTube earlier this month, underscoring a broader re-emergence in acting. Earlier this month, Hill also took to the stage in the Christmas show Tinsel at The Edge theatre in Manchester, adding to a string of recent performances that include The Fire Raisers at the Hope Mill Theatre in September and his role directing the tour of Mike Bartlett's COCK.

Hill’s return to acting coincides with renewed public visibility after years spent focusing on running his Manchester pubs. He announced the pub venture publicly last year on Instagram, revealing that he was taking over Lloyds in Chorlton with a partner. The post described a refurb and the creation of a venue designed to host live music and events, signaling a long-term commitment to turning around underperforming spaces. The couple’s interest in the hospitality industry is not new: Hill has previous experience renovating The Parlour in Manchester, a project he has discussed publicly as part of a broader mission to reinvigorate city pubs and bring them back into the community.

The Manchester connection runs deep for Hill. After starring in Coronation Street, he decided he loved the city where the soap was filmed and bought a home there, settling in the Northern Quarter, an area known for its street art, food, and independent venues. He is married to Jenny Platt, who played his on-screen love interest Violet Wilson, and the pair’s real-life partnership has been described as a shared passion for rejuvenating local pubs and creating welcoming spaces. Hill’s return to acting also reflects a broader career arc that includes work beyond Coronation Street: in 2008, he appeared in Gun Runner, a four-part The Bill special series as Kieran Wallace, and he has since appeared in Hollyoaks and Midsomer Murders.

In recent years, Hill’s public profile has blended his hospitality ventures with a continuing interest in performance. Operation Magpie pairs him with Julie Hesmondhalgh, best known for playing Hayley Cropper on Corrie, and represents a notable collaboration between former Corrie stars. The project’s completion and online release come as Hill balances stage commitments with his pub-management responsibilities. His stage resume in Manchester includes the contemporary Christmas show Tinsel, which he performed at The Edge, as well as The Fire Raisers at Hope Mill Theatre, demonstrating that his appetite for live performance remains active alongside screen work.

Hill’s career reflects a dual track: ongoing acting projects alongside hands-on leadership in Manchester’s pub scene. Through his public posts and interviews, he has described a long-standing belief in reviving the city’s venues and giving local communities spaces that feel welcoming and lively. Whether through a short film, a stage production, or a neighborhood pub remodel, Rupert Hill’s return to acting signals a renewed chapter that brings together his actors’ network, his collaborators from Corrie, and his experience in cultivating spaces where people come together to share entertainment and conversation.

As this year unfolds, observers will be watching whether Hill’s acting work grows into regular screen roles alongside ongoing live performances. For now, the combination of Operation Magpie on YouTube, recent stage appearances, and renewed public interest in his Manchester pubs marks a deliberate and ongoing comeback for a performer who has long balanced multiple facets of the arts and hospitality scene.