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• Peter Christian is one of the most famous truckers in Britain. To soap opera fans he is Frank Rogers, resident lorry driver of Brookside Close.
Four days a week the dramas of the Close and the Rogers household are flashed across the nation's TV screens. Brookside is one of Channel Four's biggest successes. For the uninitiated, Frank Rogers is the good-guy family man, caught between long-distance hauls and his family responsibilities — a situation all too familiar to many in the industry.
Christian is no stranger to road transport parts. Ile has been playing Frank Rogers for almost four years. During that time, the character has been a drivers' shop steward, a transport manager and has even helped to set up a lorry drivers' co-operative which failed. Currently the character is transporting long-distance loads to Eastern Europe.
Before /3rookstde, Christian acted in a BBC series called Truckers. He played 'Horse', "a hot-headed driver who would always go straight to the boss if his pay was not there on the right day", says Christian.
Although the programme got a lot of public support, it was only destined to run for one series. "A shame," says Christian. "It had the potential for some great story lines."
The Liverpool-born actor does not have to rely on TV researchers and directors for his road transport knowledge when playing such parts. Many viewers may be surprised to discover that Christian used to work on Liverpool docks driving HGVs. As he was always driving on private property, Christian says he never had to take his HGV driving test, but the experience gave him a taste of the transport industry. As well as driving he met hundreds of drivers and operators passing in and out of the docks.
Christian's acting career started when his cousin asked for some help with an amateur dramatics production being staged by the Liverpool-based David Lewis Theatre Group. Although he was there to help construct the sets and paint the scenery, Christian soon got landed with a part.
Acting immediately caught his imagination and he soon began appearing regularly in amateur plays round the area. Eventually this enthusiasm led to his first professional part. "I played a gentleman walking across the quayside with a bag. This lad comes up to me and asks to carry my bag. My first professional line, and the only one in that play was 'Go away boy'. That was it," says Christian.
"I also had to wear this huge hat. I remember thinking if only my mates from the docks could see me now."
After that part his acting career blossomed. Soon he was appearing in wellknown theatre productions such as Look Back in Anger and Blood Brothers. TV roles followed including Give us a Break and an appearance in Boys from the Blackstuff. Then Truckers came along.
Christian enjoys his role as lorry driver Frank Rogers in Brookside. If his character is prominent in the story line, Christian can spend three days a week shooting on location — usually an up and running transport yard somewhere in Liverpool.
And he is regularly recognised off the Brookside set. When walking along the street, Christian often gets a toot, a wave or a thumbs-up from passing lorry drivers.
He is full of respect for truck drivers and the tough life they are often forced to lead. "I have a lot of admiration for them. Always leaving for destinations and having to get there on time must be very hard going. And having to say goodbye to your family again and again — it must be very hard getting used to that." ID by Tanya Cordrey