The recent weeks have cast a shadow over the future of Coronation Street, with confirmed departures and rumours of the soap potentially being axed. With key characters exiting the ITV soap, including stalwarts Helen Worth and Sue Cleaver, who portray Gail Platt and Eileen Grimshaw respectively, there’s been apprehension about the soap’s direction.
This unease has been exacerbated by harsh reports of a show in crisis, described as “dying a death” with suggestions it could vanish from our screens within a few years. However, Corrie fans need not worry.
Cast exits, whether self-decided or enforced by management, are commonplace in the world of soaps and are nothing new. Naturally, it’s disheartening to bid farewell to some iconic and long-standing characters, with Daisy Midgeley and Yasmeen Nazir joining Eileen in their final goodbyes, following the recent exits of Mason Radcliffe and icon Gail.
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Huge scenes are planned for 2025 and beyond
(Image: ITV)
Decisions have been made for characters like Craig Tinker and Debbie Webster to be written out of the ITV soap, while Evelyn Plummer actress Maureen Lipman announced some time ago that she would be reducing her screen time with a part-time role.
Despite a spate of departures, Coronation Street is brimming with drama as showrunner Kate Brooks recently revealed to The Mirror that there are colossal scenes in the pipeline set for 2025. Debbie’s upcoming storyline featuring a dementia diagnosis is slated to continue well into 2026, complete with unfolds, new arrivals, and familiar faces making comebacks to maintain the vitality of the soap, reports the Mirror.
A source told The Mirror of substantial changes underway, but was quick to assure that “Corrie is in no way on the brink of collapse” and highlighted some riveting storylines yet to unfold. They divulged: “Corrie’s vision for the future on the show has secured its place on screens for years to come.”
The insider urged fans to disregard any notion that the beloved series might disappear within the next decade, declaring, “It’s in no way on the brink of collapse.”
Emphasizing ongoing evolution within the show, they added, “It really is a case of one door closes and another opens in that some familiar faces will be leaving, but others will be back – and the new faces could be just what the show needs. There’s so much ahead so the idea the end of Corrie is in sight is bonkers.”
The past few weeks have painted a worrying picture for the future of Coronation Street
(Image: ITV)
A representative for the show responded to recent claims of declining ratings with a valid point and clarified that Corrie’s ratings were much better than suggested: “It is misleading to use figures that focus on an episode which aired on Thursday night at 9pm, a day and time which is not our usual transmission pattern. It also does not take into account the viewers who have watched or will watch the episode on ITVX.
“Monday night’s highly acclaimed knife crime episode peaked at 3.9 million viewers which, when consolidated, will be in keeping with the show’s 2024 average of 4.4 million, making it the most watched soap on TV.”
Furthermore, a Coronation Street insider also commented on the recent exit announcements, providing some information that might make viewers reconsider the idea that there’s a sudden mass exodus on the Cobbles.
Colson Smith recently announced he was leaving the soap
(Image: (Image: ITV))
Reports have sparked concerns among fans about a string of sudden departures from Coronation Street, but according to a show insider, these movements were already on the cards, some slated as far back as a year ago. Despite the worry of repeated exits, most are not news to the cast and have been confirmed way in advance.
The insider said: “These departure decisions have been made across the last 12 months not in the past few weeks, be they a choice by an actor or storyline related, which is not at all unusual. The soap does not announce them that far in advance as it undermines the storytelling if people know too soon that a character will be going.”
They also stated “It is just the information has been leaked in quick succession which has led to a completely false narrative. The names that have been written about also include Sue Devaney for example, who will be on screen well past 2025. Luca Toolan knew of his character’s fate in February 2024. Others advised us as long ago as early 2024 of their decision to leave.”
The informant confirmed the planned nature of these exits and the intentional lack of announcements to preserve the viewers’ experience. With recent reports making the situation seem more dire than it is, the insider clarified that although departures are occurring, they’re part of a normal process rather than a dramatic upheaval.
These aren’t impulsive decisions made by the cast or management for characters to depart, as there’s a larger plan in place with storylines mapped out for the months and years ahead. Therefore, fans can rest assured that their Coronation Street, despite any exits, is here for the long haul.