Ian Royston Jones (born 24 January 1953), better known as Bruce Jones, is an English actor and professional wrestler.[1][2] He is best known for his role as taxi driver Les Battersby in Coronation Street from 1997 to 2007.
Early life
Jones was born in Collyhurst, Manchester. As a child, he spent two years on a hospital isolation ward with rheumatic fever. When he was 12, his parents separated and he was expelled from school, after which he was raised in North Wales by his grandmother. He left school at 16 and worked as a pipe fitter; he was also a fireman.[1]
Career
Early career
Jones had a teacher who encouraged him to become an actor. He and a friend formed a comedy duo, known as Clark and Jones,[3] and he began using his father's name, Bruce Jones, as his stage name.
After years acting in addition to day jobs, Jones' first big break came in 1993, when he was cast in the lead role of Bob Williams in Ken Loach's feature film Raining Stones.[1] The film won the Evening Standard British Film Awards for Best Film and Best Screenplay.
In March 2007, he was suspended from Coronation Street after allegedly getting drunk with an undercover reporter, making inappropriate comments and revealing future storylines.[5] It was confirmed in May that year that Jones would not be returning to the show; he would be suspended until his contract ended in September.[6][4] Jones noted that he was one of the victims of the since-discredited reporter Mazher Mahmood, and has said that his departure from the programme was voluntary.[1]
With four other celebrities, Jones took part in the BBC One show Famous, Rich and Homeless, broadcast in June 2009. The five temporarily lived on the streets of London. Jones was clearly the most affected by the experience, regularly seen breaking into tears and considering pulling out of the programme. He ranted to the camera advocating the reinstatement of hanging in the UK, in order to free up funds to assist the homeless and pensioners. He referenced his horrific discovery of one of the Yorkshire Ripper's victims, describing himself as a victim.[7]
During the 2009–10 Christmas season, Jones appeared as King Rat in the pantomime Dick Whittington at the Contemporary Urban Centre in Liverpool.[10] In 2011, he performed as Captain Hook and Mr. Darling in Peter Pan at the Blackfriars Arts Centre in Boston.[11] He struggled with this role, however, and was reported to have lost his voice.[12]
In April 2012, Jones appeared in a music video for the British rock band Never A Hero, which was featured on Kerrang! TV.[13]
In 2013, while also working as a mechanic, Jones appeared in a one-man play about tackling and recovering from depression, TALK!! Tackling the Taboo, which he commissioned from author and playwright Huw Roberts.[1][14][15][16]
In April 2014, production started on a Welsh feature film, Cream, in which Jones played the lead character, Ron Harris. Filming took place in and around Llandudno.[19] That year, he appeared in British gangster thriller Looters, Tooters and Sawn-Off Shooters, in which he played Roy.[20]
In 2020, Jones was cast in the comedy short film Shiney, directed by Paul Holbrook, which was funded by the BFI Network South West.[21] The short film was featured at various film festivals,[22][23] including the International Film Festival of Wales, who awarded Jones Best Supporting Actor in 2021.[24]
Novelist and screenwriter Simon W. Golding wrote the screenplay of The Coat, a thriller feature film, for Jones.[25] It will be directed and edited by Jason Figgis.[needs update]
Professional wrestling
At the age of 71, Jones made his debut in professional wrestling, appearing in character as Les Battersby at a Sovereign Pro Wrestling event in Manchester on 18 February 2024.[1][26] Jones was initially booked to make a cameo to promote an upcoming match; after the promotion received more publicity, however, the promotion asked if he would be willing to be "knocked about in the ring", to which he agreed.[1] At the promotion's next event in May 2024, Jones – as part of the "Les Battersby World Order" – took part in a "Coronation Street Fight" before being confronted by Steven Arnold, in character as Ashley Peacock and leading his own faction, the "Butcher Club".[27][28][note 1]
Publications
He published his autobiography, Bruce Jones: The Official Autobiography, in November 2011.[29]
Charity work
Jones has appeared at many Variety Club fundraising events and been an ambassador for the charity.[3] On 16 February 2011, he made an appearance for the Sir Norman Wisdom tribute at De Montfort Hall in Leicester, raising money for the Roy Castle Fund;[30] he spoke of Wisdom's time on Coronation Street.[31]
On the morning of 9 October 1977, Jones discovered the mutilated body of 20-year-old Jean Jordan on an allotment in Chorlton, Manchester, a victim of the "Yorkshire Ripper", Peter Sutcliffe. He was treated as a suspect, and attracted recurring coverage in the tabloids about his supposed "secret".[1] He has attributed the end of his first marriage to the suspicion and his resulting depression.[33] He spoke about the discovery and how it affected him in the Netflix series The Ripper (episode: "Between Now and Dawn").[34]
In 1984, Jones married Sandra; the couple had two children.[35]
Jones has had problems with alcoholism. In 1998, he pleaded guilty to drink driving after being tested by police and found to be more than twice the legal limit, and was banned from driving for three years.[16] In 2000, he spent a period in the celebrity rehab clinic the Priory.[33][36] After leaving Coronation Street, he found it hard to get work,[37] and drank heavily. In August 2009, while drunk, he grabbed and repeatedly jerked the steering wheel of his car whilst his wife was driving it on the A55 in North Wales.[1] He subsequently pleaded guilty to dangerous driving and drink driving.[38] His wife told the court that he had physically and emotionally abused her for years.[39] He was given a suspended sentence;[40] he and his wife separated and he became bankrupt and homeless.[1][41]
In June 2015, Jones appeared in a documentary called Celebs on Benefits: Fame To Claim, about celebrities who have hit hard times.[42] In 2019, he hit out against the rollout of Universal Credit, saying that the wait for the first payment was causing severe hardship, and that he had recently helped a family with money for food.[43]
