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Coronation Street fans have been taken aback upon discovering that two former characters from the show are actually siblings in real life.

Matt Milburn made his debut on the cobbles as Weatherfield’s football star, Tommy Orpington, in October 2016. Tommy was a regular face on the Street until he departed last year, fleeing to Spain with Tracy McDonald (played by Kate Ford) amidst a scandalous affair storyline.

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The ITV soap saw the pair bond over a mutual interest when Tommy took up work as a painter and decorator, eventually seizing an opportunity to work abroad together.

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However, it has recently emerged for some soap enthusiasts that Matt is in fact the real-life brother of Greg Wood, who played Corrie’s infamous villain Rick Neelan.

Rick, notorious for his ruthless nature, arrived in 2009 and quickly became a menace to locals, particularly tormenting Gary Windass (played by Mikey North).

Matt Milburn playing Tommy Orpington in Coronation Street

Matt Milburn playing Tommy Orpington in Coronation Street(Image: ITV)
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In 2019, in a bid to safeguard his family, Gary ended up murdering Rick and hiding his body in the woods. Rick also left behind a daughter, Kelly, portrayed by Doctor Who’s Millie Gibson, reports Leicestershire Live.

Away from the spotlight of Coronation Street, Greg has taken on other roles in popular television series, including Trevor Royle in Hollyoaks and Terry Gibson in Brookside.

Following in his brother’s footsteps, Matt embarked on an acting career, although their paths on Corrie never intersected on screen.

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Emmerdale
Greg Wood as Rick in Corrie (Image: ITV Pictures)
Matt’s passion for acting was sparked by watching his brother in a college play, as he shared with TV Times: “Watching my brother in his first college play ignited my fire for it [acting]. Seeing the adrenaline surge through him afterwards, I thought: ‘I’d love to give that a go.’ But I just never did.”

A fascinating sequence of events led to his entry into the world of acting. Greg was initially set to film a play for his university friends, but after landing a role in Brookside, he recommended Matt without his knowledge.

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The production in question was Dealer’s Choice by Patrick Marber, which revolved around a game of poker.

Matt is the real-life brother of actor Greg Wood, who played evil loan shark and villain Rick Neelan on the ITV soap
Matt is the real-life brother of actor Greg Wood(Image: ITV)
Matt continued: “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.”

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The revelation about Matt and Greg being real-life brothers has left Coronation Street fans stunned, with many taking to Facebook to share their astonishment. 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.”

Other fans chimed in with their reactions, with one saying: “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”. Another fan added: “Wow….No wonder I’m thinking it was him who Gary killed.”

Coronation Street star Matt Milburn hinted an exit could be on the cards for one character
Coronation Street star Matt Milburn is related to a former soap star(Image: ITV)
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The comments section was filled with fans expressing their surprise, with some simply stating: “Didn’t know that” and “They look similar.”

Matt’s acting credits extend far beyond Coronation Street. He has appeared in a range of shows, including Emmerdale, where he played Nicky Pritchard in 2011.

He also had a notable stint in rival soap Hollyoaks, starring as Joe Spencer between 2003 and 2006.

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Interestingly, Matt and Greg are not the only siblings to have appeared in Hollyoaks; their sister Jenny Milburn played the role of Billie Johnson on the show in 2004. She starred with Matt in Hollyoaks: After Hours, portraying a firefighter.

Coronation Street airs Monday, Wednesday and Friday on ITV and ITVX