Coronation Street stars ‘despondent’ in secret WhatsApp group as axing cull continues: ‘Filming is tough’
Coronation Street stars have reportedly created a WhatsApp group to share their fears about potential job cuts, as the long-running soap faces mounting financial pressures.
Cast members are growing concerned about being axed to save money while the show prioritises keeping its highest-paid performers.
The crisis comes as five actors have recently departed the series, with more cuts potentially looming.
“There’s a WhatsApp group which has been pinging with messages about concerns of where the axe will fall next,” a source told The Sun.
The insider added there is “a feeling more people will be cut to save money” to keep best-paid stars like Bill Roache on board.
Charlotte Jordan became the latest star to announce her departure from the soap after five years playing Daisy Midgeley.
Sue Cleaver, who portrayed Eileen Grimshaw for 25 years, revealed last week she would be leaving to pursue new acting projects, with Colson Smith following suit and confirming he will exit his role as police officer Craig Tinker in 2025 after 14 years on the show.
Sue Devaney, who plays Debbie Webster, is reportedly set to be killed off this year as part of a dementia storyline, which has left avid Corrie fans devasted.
The series also recently bid farewell to Helen Worth, who played Gail Platt for 50 years, appearing in just 26 out of 304 episodes in her final year.
The financial divide between established and newer stars has become a key point of tension on the show.
Bill Roache, who plays Ken Barlow, reportedly earns £2,000 per episode, while newcomers typically receive just £400 per appearance – despite the 92-year-old actor starting on £70 a week in 1960. He now commands an estimated £250,000 annual salary.
Some cast members are struggling to make ends meet, with a source telling The Sun that actors paid per episode are “having to supplement income with personal appearances and ads on Instagram”.
Many performers are now being placed on “guest contracts” like Maureen Lipman and Kate Ford, offering less security, with cost-cutting measures already being put into effect, with reduced scenes in the iconic Rovers Return pub.
The pub’s closure storyline in 2023, involving landlady Jenny Connor’s financial troubles, was reportedly a strategic move to eliminate expensive group scenes.
Working conditions have also deteriorated, according to insiders as a source revealed: “Filming is tough. One person moaned they were ‘worked like dogs’.”
TV production costs have reportedly soared by more than 50 per cent while advertising revenue has plummeted as the insider continued to The Sun: “Corrie is on its knees financially and bosses are being forced to make hard decisions”
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The soap’s Christmas Day special drew just 2.6 million viewers, marking a concerning trend for the show’s future.
Despite the uncertainty, Bill Roache remains committed to the show, expressing his ambition to become “the first centenarian who is still cast in an ongoing drama”.
“That’s my aim, to be 100 and still working on Coronation Street,” said Roache. “While they want me and while I can do it I’ll continue to do it.”