Coronation Street fan favourites quit the cobbles leaving fans heartbroken

29 December 2023 , 15:57

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Fan favourites are set to say goodbye to Coronation Street

Coronation Street has seen a mass shake-up of its favourite characters.

While there have been plenty of new arrivals in Weatherfield over the past year, there have also been some departures. As we look into 2024, more characters are set to get the chop as Corrie bosses call time on their stint on the Cobbles. While some actors have given a helping hand in the decision, it appears some were more reluctant to let go.

Courtney Vance, played by Stephanie Davis, has already left after joining the soap in July 2023. It was reported bosses felt her storyline was complete after her shocking affair, while Ellie Leach's Faye Windass also left over the summer. Stephen Reid, played by Todd Boyce, also left in explosive scenes after becoming the resident serial killer. We take a look at who else is quitting the soap.

It has been reported Beth Tinker actress Lisa George will leave next year

Beth Tinker

Reports suggest actress Lisa George is leaving the show after 13 years of playing Beth Tinker, with her apparently set to bow out next summer. It comes weeks after actress Lisa downplayed exit rumours to The Mirror. Despite it being revealed she had a new contract on the show, it's thought Lisa is keen to move on for new challenges after over a decade on the hit soap.

It has been claimed that Lisa decided to leave her role, and her exit will air in the summer of next year while no details on the plot have been confirmed. A source told The Sun of Beth's reported departure: “ Lisa has been on Corrie for a long time and she’s had some great storylines. She’s become a firm fan favourite with her comedy scenes but has had viewers sobbing in heartbreaking plots like Sinead’s death. She loves Corrie and it’s in her bones but she feels now is the right time to move on and take on new challenges.”

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Back in October, Lisa opened up on the rumours of her exit to The Mirror. She said: "I've got a new contract. It's really weird, everyone was saying you're leaving, you're leaving. I was asked about my contract and I said I was waiting, and so they asked what I'd like to do if I didn't get one and I said Call The Midwife. That's all I said it was a passing comment then the next thing, everyone is ringing me like, 'you're leaving, you're leaving'.

"I was like no, what's all this, no, I don't know anything about it. It's just weird I don't even know how it happened from the passing comment." On whether Beth would depart and leave partner Kirk Sutherland behind, she said: "She'd never leave him!"

Simon Barlow

Alex Bain has played Simon since 2008

Alex Bain is walking away from Coronation Street after he burst onto the soap back in 2008. The 22-year-old actor played Simon Barlow, the son of Peter and Lucy, who previously battled terminal cancer. Throughout his time on the show, Alex has been responsible for some dramatic storylines, including domestic abuse.

But after 15 years, the actor has decided to hang up his boots on the Weatherfield-based soap opera. "Alex is sad to be leavingCoronation Streetbecause it really is like a family — but he realises that the time is right to move on," a source toldThe Sun. They added: "He's very excited about the future and other opportunities." It's claimed that he will leave the soap in the summer of 2024.

Away from the soap, Alex became a teen dad in 2018. His former girlfriend, Levi, gave birth to their first child not long after celebrating her 16th birthday, when Alex was 17. Last year, Alex proposed to his girlfriend Mollie Lockwood but in April of this year, it was announced that the couple had split, with the young actor subsequently removing all traces of her from his Instagram.

Peter Barlow

Peter Barlow left Coronation Street after over two decades (ITV)

Coronation Street fans had an emotional Christmas as they said their goodbyes to Peter Barlow played by Chris Gascoyne on Boxing Day. Peter had been struggling following the shock death of Stephen Reid, when he ran him over with his taxi fearing he was going to kill Jenny Connor.

Peter decided to leave Weatherfield for good, leaving his family and friends heartbroken. Chris previously opened up about his final scenes, admitting he felt "moved" by the final scripts. "We never rehearse the scenes really before we do it. You get one or two takes and I kind of know how Ali will play it. I just react and she reacts to me; that's the joy of it, really, and I think that if in a scene you don't know what's going to happen next, the audience don't.

"When I read that last script, it was emotional, not because I was leaving, but I genuinely, genuinely felt moved by it," he shared in a chat with the BBC ahead of his exit. "I think it's as well-written script as you're going to get at Coronation Street and I think most people will have had exactly the same thing in their life, so they'll identify with it."

Chris hasn't ruled out a return to the soap despite admitted he needed a "rest and to look to do something different". He confessed: "I'm not getting any younger. The thing that upset me though was walking away from the people I work with and I don't just mean the actors. I've known all these people for nearly half my life."

Paul Foreman

Paul's recent prognosis has left viewers heartbroken (ITV)

The former builder is living his last few months on the cobbles as he struggles against motor neurone disease. Things are getting worse for Paul, played by Peter Ash, and he recently collapsed while alone at home. The soap has been working closely with the MND Association on Paul's storyline.

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Peter explained to The Mirror and other press about the moment he was told his character will tackle the touch storyline: "I was called into the producer's office late last year, and he said we've got this very big storyline for you, which will be a great thing to do, but it will mean an eventual exit. I had mixed feelings obviously.

"I'll be sad to leave the show. It's an amazing job, I've met fantastic people. I'll be sad to leave but at the same time, I'm quite happy to be involved in such a powerful storyline which will hopefully bring awareness to it. It's a double edged sword."

Mia O'Hare