Jim McDonald (Coronation Street)

Jim McDonald
Jim in 2007
Coronation Street character
Portrayed by	Charles Lawson
Introduced by	Mervyn Watson (1989) Kieran Roberts (2003) Tony Wood (2004, 2005) Steve Frost (2007) Kim Crowther (2009) Phil Collinson (2010, 2011)
Duration	1989–2000, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2007-08, 2009, 2010, 2011
First appearance	27 October 1989
Last appearance	15 April 2011
Classification	Former; regular
Book appearances	Coronation Street: The Complete Saga
Profile
Date of birth	May 17, 1959
Home	Police custody
Occupation	Barman, builder, mechanic, security guard, bank robber
Family Wife Liz Greenwood (1974–97, 2000–05) Mother Maisie McDonald Sons Steve McDonald Andy McDonald Daughters Katie McDonald Granddaughters Amy Barlow

James "Jim" McDonald is a fictional character in the British television ITV soap opera, Coronation Street so he is. Portrayed by actor Charles Lawson, the character first appeared onscreen during the episode airing on 27 October 1989. The character is noted for his violent nature and his passionate love for his wife Liz (Beverley Callard).

He was a regular character for a period of eleven years from 1989 until 2000. He has since made a number of brief returns since 2003 the most recent being in spring 2011.

Creation and development

Jim McDonald as he appeared in 1989.

He made his first appearance on 27 October 1989, with Liz McDonald (his wife since 1974) and his 15-year-old twin sons Steven and Andrew. Jim, from Northern Ireland, had been in the army for more than a decade prior to his arrival in Weatherfield. He then found work as a security guard but left after a violent encounter with two intruders led to him feeling concerned that he could kill someone if such a situation arose again.

Actor Charles Lawson was approached to play the part of Jim McDonald, the father of the new family unit that was to be introduced to the series. At the time Lawson had previously been offered a role in the series by producers but turned the role down, which he regretted and took the second role they offered him. Of the casting Lawson said: "I was working at the National Theatre when Street producers first approached me, I was a little bit up my own arse at the time and said 'no' - which was very silly. The following year they were introducing a new family - the McDonalds - into the Street and asked me again. I didn't know anything about the show. I never watched it because it was on TV at the wrong time of night for me - I was usually in the pub.".

Lawson quit the show in 1999 because he felt that script writers had run out of ideas for his character. He then returned for certain storylines in 2003 and 2005 and a one episode appearance in 2004. Lawson agreed to return to portray his character during a storyline which saw his wife Liz marry Vernon Tomlin. Lawson later reprised his role as the character once more in 2009 for a storyline which saw the character's on screen son marry Becky Granger. Lawson has said that he is happy to return any time there are 'juicy storylines' available.

Storylines

1989–2000

Jim's next job is as a mechanic. After failing to succeed at running his own garage, Jim gets a job working with Kevin Webster (Michael Le Vell) at MVB Motors. Jim suffers a personal tragedy in January 1992 with the death of his one-day-old daughter Katie. He splits from Liz a short time afterwards after she berates him for punching Steve (Simon Gregson) during an argument. Liz goes to manage a nearby pub for a short time but they are soon back together.

Their marriage hits new depths in 1996 when he hits her at a service station in Birkenhead after she admits to having an affair with one of his former army colleagues. Jim is arrested shortly afterwards for trying to break into their house by using a spade to smash the windows, and after further breaching the conditions of a restraining order placed upon him, he spends several weeks in prison for burglary.

In 1997 Jim has a one-night-stand with his son Steve's ex-girlfriend Fiona Middleton (Angela Griffin). This results in Jim stopping her wedding to Alan McKenna (Glen Hugill) and confessing what had happened between them, as a result Alan dumps Fiona, who is carrying his child. Steve is disgusted with Jim and gets back together with Fiona, helping her to bring up her son Morgan.

Jim is badly injured after falling from scaffolding following a fight with Steve on a building site in 1998, and has to undergo physiotherapy to regain his ability to walk. Jim then catches Liz in bed with his physiotherapist and throws her out, quoting in his strong northern Irish accent "Get out of my house you cheating bitch" and they are soon divorced.

In September 2000, Steve is badly beaten by drug dealer Jez Quigley (Lee Boardman). Jim gets revenge by viciously beating Jez in his own home. Jez later dies in hospital from a ruptured Spleen. Jim gives himself up to the police and is remanded in prison to await trial. He re-marries Liz on 30 November 2000, and is later sentenced to eight years imprisonment for manslaughter.

2003–11

In November 2003, three years into his sentence and a year before his scheduled release on licence, Jim breaks out of prison after fearing that Liz is having an affair with her manager at a pub in Blackpool. They try to flee to Ireland, but have to stop to rescue Ashley (Steven Arnold) and Claire Peacock (Julia Haworth) who are adrift in a boat. Jim is soon recaptured and returns to prison. In June 2005, Jim beats up another inmate. His parole licence is cancelled as a result and he is ordered to remain in prison until the end of his sentence in September 2008. Liz gives up waiting for Jim and divorces him again.

Jim returns to the Street in November 2007, after being released early from prison for good behaviour. On his return to the street, Jim seems to everyone to have changed for the better - a reformed character, teetotal, and friendly to all. Steve gives him a job at the cab firm, valeting the cars, and lets him see his granddaughter Amy (Amber Chadwick). However, Jim has thoughts deep down about his ex-wife's upcoming marriage to drummer Vernon Tomlin (Ian Reddington), and in the end it gets the better of him. On the day of Liz and Vernon's marriage, Jim gives Vernon a severe beating after Vernon launches at him, even hitting Dev Alahan (Jimmi Harkishin) in the process. Steve breaks up the fight, and in no uncertain terms tells his father he is no longer welcome, forcing Jim to leave the Street.

In August 2009, Jim returns for Steve's wedding to Becky Granger (Katherine Kelly) along with Andy (Nicholas Cochrane), Steve's twin brother. When Becky is arrested and accused of dealing drugs, Jim finds out about Slug (Marshall Lancaster), the person who planted the drugs, and suggests to Steve that he give copies of Slug's photos to taxi businesses around Weatherfield, in the hope someone will recognise him. After that, he leaves the Street with Andy.

Jim returns again in November 2010, to celebrate his 55th birthday with Steve, meeting Becky's nephew Max and catching up with Kevin in the Rovers and attends the funeral of his old friend Jack Duckworth (Bill Tarmey). The next day Jim sends Liz some flowers, which are intercepted by her new boyfriend Owen Armstrong (Ian Puleston-Davies) who then goes to 'The Flying Horse' and warns Jim to stay away from her. Jim later turns up at the Rovers and bumps into Owen again, goading him about the flowers and telling Steve what Owen has done.

On 1 December 2010, Jim once again turns up at the Rovers and is disappointed that Liz is not there. He clashes with Owen again and then later on phones Steve and tells him that he is in hospital after getting into a fight in a pub. Steve visits him, along with Owen and after Steve had gone, Owen hints to Jim that he is behind the attack. When Steve goes to collect Jim from the hospital on 2 December 2010 Jim warns Steve that Owen was behind the beating and asked him to watch out for his and Liz's safety.

In March 2011, Jim meets Liz in the bar of a hotel. They have a drink and Liz tells him about Steve and Becky; he suggests that she buy the Pub from Steve. Jim later walks Liz to her room and it is revealed that they had a one night stand whilst in Spain. The next day he goes to the Rovers to speak to Steve and Becky and they tell him that they have had a fallout with Liz. Jim later meets up with Liz in the Cafe and tells her that he thinks Becky is controlling Steve.

In April 2011, Jim agrees to get the money to buy the Rovers, which costs £120,000 in total. After asking Kevin Webster (Michael Le Vell), who has just won the lottery, for some money, to which he refuses, Jim has no other options, so decides to rob a bank. He goes into the bank, and pulls out a gun to the receptionist, and she gets the money, but unbeknown to him, while she is doing so, she hits the panic button, which automatically alerts police something is wrong. He holds the entire bank hostage after being hit over the head with a chair. As the police arrive, Jim tells the policeman over the phone to get Liz to come down, to which they agree. After much talking, Liz manages to convince Jim to let the hostages go, and to come out. Jim comes out of the bank after letting the people go, and is arrested. He shouts 'Elizabeth, I'm sorry!' to Liz as he is handcuffed in a police car. The following day Liz visits Jim and tells him she"ll be there when he comes out, she then leaves for Spain. Steve visits Jim to inform him Liz has left but will attend the trial with him. Steve visits Jim in custody and tells him that Liz has gone back to Spain to live with Andy. In October, Jim is sentenced to seven years imprisonment.

Reception

In 2011, Jaci Stephen, writing for the Daily Mail, said it was an "easy week for the scriptwriters" having Jim back. In explaining this she stated that his "irritating habit of calling everyone by their full names – Steven, Elizabeth, Rebecca – and finishing off every sentence with a ‘so there is’, ‘so I did’, ‘so you are’, et al, meant there were far fewer sentences to write."