Antony Cotton – who plays Sean Tully in the soap – donated his £2,400 winnings to the Broughton House veteran care village in Salford, making residents’ dream of having their own veterans’ mess come true
Britain’s most famous barman has swapped pulling pints at The Rovers Return to officially open a new veterans’ bar funded with his win from gameshow Tipping Point.
Awarded the MBE earlier this year for his services to the military, Antony Cotton – who plays Sean Tully in the soap – donated his £2,400 winnings to the Broughton House veteran care village in Salford, making residents’ dream of having their own veterans’ mess come true.
The Corrie star, who battled it out on a celebrity version of the show against Jonathan Ross and Katie Piper, answering questions on politics, music, books and sport, said: “It is absolutely fantastic to see how they have spent the money and how much the veterans love it. I text presenter Ben Shepherd to tell him that they’d built a bar with the money and he was absolutely made up. I spend all my spare time in the military world and the mess is so important, it is the centre, the hub – the mess is the place where they gather.”
Antony, 48, became an ambassador of Broughton House in 2019 in honour of his late grandfather Oswald Cotton, a proud Salfordian who served with the British Army during the Second World War. Founded in 1916 to provide treatment to the thousands of soldiers and sailors returning from WW1, Broughton House is now a dedicated charity and care home for those who have served their country and their families.