He is best known for his role as cafe owner Roy Cropper in the long running ITV soap opera Coronation Street, which he has played since 1995.

[2][3] Neilson was born in Loughborough, Leicestershire, and enrolled at the Central School of Speech and Drama at the age of 20.

He worked in various jobs at the same time, including as a gas fitter, ice cream salesman and a barman.

His television roles include Z-Cars, Young at Heart, Mike in a single episode of Survivors (BBC), Edgar in DH Lawrence's Sons and Lovers adapted by Trevor Griffiths (BBC), Blue Heaven by Frank Skinner, as Millington in the TV movies of the Charlie Resnick novels, Bergerac, Casualty, Boys from the Blackstuff, Secret Army and Heartbeat.

[4] Neilson is a lifelong Leicester City supporter, regularly running Alan Birchenall's charity race around the King Power Stadium to raise money for awareness for prostate cancer, in memory of former Leicester City player Keith Weller.