Craig Kelly (17 May 1975 – 7 February 2019) was an English actor best known for his roles as Vince Tyler in the Channel 4 series Queer as Folk and Luke Strong in Coronation Street.
Kelly was born in Burnley, Lancashire, England, and was the son of actors Margaret and Richard Kelly. He began his acting career in 1994, appearing in the British television show Heartbeat. He rose to fame in 1999, when he was cast as Vince Tyler in the Channel 4 series Queer as Folk.
In the same year, he also starred in the British drama film The Debt Collector. He won a British Independent Film Award for Best Actor for his performance in the film.
In 2000, Kelly moved to the United States, where he appeared in several television shows, including the CBS series The District and the NBC series Third Watch. He also had recurring roles in Crossing Jordan, American Dreams, and Las Vegas.
In 2006, Kelly returned to the United Kingdom to portray Luke Strong in ITV's Coronation Street. He remained in the show for two years, making his final appearance in 2008.
Kelly was also an active member of the theatre community, appearing in plays such as The Tempest at Chichester Festival Theatre, Macbeth at the National Theatre, and The Crucible at the Royal Exchange Theatre.
In 2010, Kelly made his feature film debut, starring in the British romantic comedy-drama Leap Year. He played the lead role in the 2011 British comedy film The Christmas Candle.
In 2019, Kelly died suddenly at the age of 43. He had recently completed filming for the British drama series Butterfly, in which he portrayed the role of Stephen.
Kelly was known for his warm personality and his love of entertaining. He will be remembered for his work in Queer as Folk, Coronation Street, and the theatre.
