Disgraced Coronation Street star Chris Fountain could make live TV apology to save career
Chris Fountain, the Coronation Street actor whose reputation has been left in tatters after being unmasked rapping about raping women on YouTube, could be forced into making a live television apology in order to try and save his career.
The Mirror claims Fountain's bosses, who have already suspended him from the soap, are urging the actor to make a full and frank confession on a daytime TV show.
It is a well-practised reputation management tactic in the US, where a host of stars have fronted up to their demons on live television in a bid to be offered a second chance, such as cyclist Lance Amstrong's doping confession to Oprah Winfrey.
It has been suggested that Fountain, who plays mechanic Tommy Duckworth in the ITV show, could seek mercy in a similar fashion by appearing on Daybreak with Lorraine Kelly or This Morning.
The Mirror quotes a 'show insider' as saying: "This story has become so big that if bosses decide he should make a public apology, it might be on more than one show because it would need to reach a wide audience. Every TV show has asked for his first interview. It may even be that he does a press conference."
The 25-year-old has already issued a statement saying he is "deeply ashamed by the lyrics" of his rapping alter-ego, 'The Phantom'.