Rob Mallard

On 14 September 2016, it was announced that Mallard had been cast in Coronation Street as Ken Barlow's (William Roache) youngest son Daniel Osbourne, being the third actor to play the role after Lewis Harney and Dominic Holmes, respectively.^[1][2] Mallard said, "It feels great to be starting work on Coronation Street and I'm looking forward to getting to know everyone. I grew up watching Coronation Street, so the chance to be in it, especially playing a part like Daniel, is very exciting." Producer Kate Oates said, "Daniel is a different Barlow altogether, more sensitive and bookish, he is clearly a chip off the old block, but there is more to Ken's youngest son than meets the eye. Rob is a talented young actor who is perfect for the role". In June 2017, Mallard won the Best Newcomer award at the 2017 British Soap Awards for his portrayal of Daniel.^[3]

Mallard is gay. He came out publicly in 2017 in an interview with Gay Times magazine and revealed that his family were supportive of him when he came out to them at the age of 17. He added that he "never planned to keep it quiet" with his only concern being that "if I'm with a female character, will an audience who knows I'm gay in real life believe it? But that was just my own fears because I do believe they will."^[4] Mallard entered a relationship with his Coronation Street co-star, Daniel Brocklebank, who played Billy Mayhew, in May 2017.^[5] They split up that July, but remained good friends.^[6] He began dating modelling agent Matthew Martin in 2023,^[7] and in February 2025, he made a cameo in an episode of Coronation Street.^[8][9]

During an appearance on ITV's This Morning in March 2018, Mallard revealed that he has an essential tremor, a neurological disorder that causes involuntary shaking. He had previously appeared on the show in January 2018, and after the appearance numerous comments were made on social media about his demeanour, especially his shaking, with some accusing him of being drunk. He said that he had the condition for nearly a decade.^[10]