Coronation Street icon slams ITV soap as it's confirmed co-star will be killed off

Wendi Peters, who portrayed Cilla Battersby-Brown connected Corrie for 4 years, said it's 'bizarre' that her on-screen hubby Les Battersby is being killed disconnected from the soap

A Coronation Street icon has criticised the ITV soap aft it was confirmed that her co-star volition beryllium killed off.

Wendi Peters, who portrayed Cilla Battersby-Brown connected the amusement betwixt 2003 and 2007, earlier returning for a little impermanent stint 10 years ago, spoke retired aft quality emerged that her on-screen hubby Les Battersby - played by Bruce Jones - is being axed from the show. Viewers his children Leanne (Jane Danson) and Toyah (Georgia Taylor) being told that their dada has passed distant astatine work.

Bruce, 71, was initially fto spell from the soap aft reportedly getting drunk with an undercover journalist, letting gaffe aboriginal storylines connected the amusement and making inappropriate comments. He ne'er received an on-screen exit storyline, but his stepson Chesney confirmed his erstwhile begetter fig was live and well, surviving successful Dublin and moving arsenic a roadie with an Irish tribute band.

Following the quality that the quality volition beryllium killed disconnected for good, histrion Wendi deed retired astatine the bid - and said determination mightiness person been "a nicer way" to attack the situation. She told The Sun: "It's a spot bizarre. I conjecture we haven't been determination for 20 years, truthful we're not nether contract. They tin determine immoderate they privation to do. However, determination mightiness person been a nicer mode of approaching it."

Last month, Vicky Entwistle, who played Bruce's erstwhile on-screen woman Janice Battersby, confirmed the quality arsenic she replied to a tweet a instrumentality posted. The instrumentality shared a gif of a pistillate looking shocked aft watching thing connected her laptop, with the caption: "#Corrie are sidesplitting disconnected Les Battersby…"

In her response, Vicky wrote: "I cognize Bruce told maine a mates of months agone aft receiving an email." A root described the determination made by Corrie brag arsenic "a immense snub" that volition "infuriate semipermanent fans" who retrieve Les "with large fondness".

They told The Sun: "It's a immense snub to termination disconnected a fashionable quality similar this. Bruce created 1 of the Street's astir iconic characters successful Les and ever hoped 1 time helium mightiness return. A batch of the formed and unit person said it's a spot mean. It's besides bound to infuriate semipermanent fans who retrieve Les with large fondness."

Bruce besides revealed his fury implicit an ITV's email confirming that his quality volition beryllium axed. He told GB News helium was furious to work that Les would dice off-screen, and took purpose astatine the amusement arsenic helium claimed it had "no storylines" anymore. "I got an email from the casting bureau saying, Dear Mr Jones, I americium atrocious to pass you Les Battersby volition dice successful the adjacent fewer months," helium recalled.

"I work the email and thought, wherefore nonstop maine an email similar that? Why telephone maine Mr Jones? Why not telephone maine Bruce? That annoyed maine a small bit, but past I felt relieved. Maybe it's clip for maine to spell now," Bruce said, adding that helium has since had an apology from the property office. He revealed helium and his woman watched an occurrence of Coronation Street recently, but helium had to permission the country arsenic helium recovered it unbearable.

"I didn't spell backmost until I heard the euphony astatine the end. I conscionable couldn't ticker it. Where were the storylines? There was nary comedy. So no, I'm atrocious I couldn't ticker it. I went retired and I made a cupful of coffee." Bruce said helium has been approached by fans successful Manchester who inquire him erstwhile he's returning to the soap, and portion he's upset astatine the decision, helium insisted helium had "no problems with Coronation Street."

He added: "I had 10 large years with them, but they (the viewers) are beauteous annoyed astir it… I'm bittersweet successful 1 way, but I'm relieved successful another. I mean, it's clip to fto spell now, and I'm rather pleased with that."

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